India’s shale gas policy

What is shale gas?

Shale is a sedimentary stone formation. In the shale formations, natural gas is trapped which is known as shale gas.

source:www.bbc.co.uk

Why suddenly shale gas is in picture?

Countries especially US has developed technology (horizontal drilling+hydraulic fracturing) which has made extraction of shale gas viable. It has made US gas importing country into gas exporting country.

Geo-politics (get more info from net)

• The OPEC countries have been riding high with their control over energy sources. This is challenged. 
• Power equations between nations change with new energy production
• Natural gas is safer, so the shale gas production has role in climate change.

source:www.wikipedia.org

Challenges for Shale gas production

• Technology – A viable business model and technology is needed to develop these fields
• As the OPEC nations aren’t lowering production of oil, the oil prices have lowered. This makes it    challenging, as the shale gas production price would go up J
• Fear of environmental hazards. The technology of fracking uses water jets to open up spaces having gas. This requires tonnes of water – water scarcity. It is feared it would cause water contamination too.

Shale gas in India

In India, ONGC and OIL have been asked to carry out explorations for shale gas production. In first phase only govt run companies have permission to explore in their blocks. In the  next phase other companies would come in to participate.

India’s potential areas -  Cambay (in Gujarat), Assam-Arakan (in the North-

East), Gondawana (in central India), KG onshore (in Andhra Pradesh), Cauvery 

onshore and Indo-Gangetic basins  [six basins]

 

200 words

• Write about the recent trends in world energy production?
• Role of shale gas in Indian/world economy (or) geo-politics
• Discuss the prospects and problems of Shale gas use in India.

50 words:

Fracking - Drilling down into the earth. Then a jet of water,chemicals,sand is injected at high pressure to enable the gas to flow out of head of well.(first pic in this article)