Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources
North America
Keith B. HallLSU Law School
Baton Rouge, [email protected]
U.S. Dry Natural Gas Production
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
U.S. Dry Natural Gas Production
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
Tight and Shale Gas Contribution to U.S. Gas
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
Tight and Shale Gas Contribution to U.S. Gas
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
U.S. Shale Gas Production by Region
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
U.S. Associated Gas Production by Region
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
U.S. Natural Gas Imports and Exports
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
U.S. Natural Gas Imports and Exports
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
U.S. Natural Gas Plant Liquids
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
U.S. Crude Oil Production
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
U.S. Crude Oil Production
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Plant Liquids
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Plant Liquids
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
Tight Oil’s Contribution to U.S. Crude Oil
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
Tight Oil’s Contribution to U.S. Crude Oil
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
Onshore U.S. Crude Oil Production
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
U.S. Shale Formations
U.S. Proved Reserves
Crude Crude oil and Natural gasOil condensate
billion bbls billion bbls trillion cubic feet
End of
2017 39.2 42.0 464.3
End of
2018 43.8 47.1 504.3
Source, U.S. Energy Information Administration, https://www.eia.gov/naturalgas/crudeoilreserves/pdf/table_1.pdf
U.S. Proved Reserves, 1978-2018
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, https://www.eia.gov/naturalgas/crudeoilreserves/
North America Shale Formations
Canada
• 4.6 million bbls/day crude oil production in 2018
• 64% of production in 2018 from oil sands
• 96% of oil reserves are in oil sands
Source: Government of Canada, https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/energy/energy_fact/production -by-type-2019.png
Canada
Source: Government of Canada, https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/energy/energy_fact/production -by-type-2019.png
Canada – Production by Province
Source: Government of Canada, https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/energy/energy_fact/production -by-type-2019.png
Canada – Tight Oil Production
Source: Government of Canada, https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/our -natural-resources/energy-sources-distribution/clean-fossil-fuels/natural-
gas/shale-tight-resources-canada/exploration-and-production-shale-and-tight-resources/17677
Canada – Tight Gas and Shale Gas Production
Source: Government of Canada, https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/our -natural-resources/energy-sources-distribution/clean-fossil-fuels/natural-
gas/shale-tight-resources-canada/exploration-and-production-shale-and-tight-resources/17677
Mexico – Tight Gas and Shale Gas Production
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=32592
Factors that led to success in U.S.
• Private ownership of minerals
• Large number of exploration and production companies, including independents
• Highly developed service industry
• Federal government support because of desire to be less dependent on imports of oil and gas
• State regulators generally supportive of industry
Local Issues of Concern
• Groundwater contamination fears
• Amount of water being used
• Wastewater disposal
• Flaring
• Pipelines
• Roads – wear and tear, extra traffic
Challenges Going Forward
• Low commodity prices, particularly for oil
• Ideological opposition to fossil fuels
Keith B. HallLSU Law School(225) [email protected]