Shale plays first come to mind when one considers unconventional resources. These unconventional resource plays may yield natural gas, gas condensates, and crude oil. Some of the more noteworthy shale plays in North America include the Barnett, Haynesville, Marcellus, Eagle Ford, Fayetteville, Woodford, Bakken, Niobrara, Horn River, and Utica formations. Tight gas, coalbed methane, oil sands, and heavy oil are non-shale unconventional resources.

The oil and gas sector had an extended seven-year ride (thanks to what took place in unconventional gas shale development) that finally ended in 2009 (also thanks to unconventional gas, when prices crashed). As the industry is currently experiencing drilling expansion with development going forward, especially with a focus on shale, helped by high oil prices, the outlook is quite positive.
But as many in oil and gas, manufacturing, and the investing space know, where there is an up, there will be a subsequent pause in activity, a downturn or a correction – at some point in time. Are we due for a correction? Click here to read the article by Don Warlick.
Can the shale gas revolution currently taking place in the US be repeated elsewhere? Altho
ugh significant volumes of unconventional gas deposits are present in Poland, France, Germany, Hungary, Sweden, Turkey, and the UK, shale gas developments are running many years behind their counterparts in the US. Skeptics have pointed out that differences in geology, taxes, public acceptance, environmental regulations and other factors in Europe vs. the US make for a tougher environment in which to develop unconventional resources.
Read the article by Bart J. A. Willigers of Palantir Solutions Ltd. here.
Global NuTech acquires Texas Gulf Oil and Gas
Feb 1, 2012
Global NuTech Inc. has acquired 100% of the stock of Houston, Texas-based Texas Gulf Oil & Gas Inc. |
Geoscientists to debate hydraulic fracturing Feb. 7 at University of Tulsa
Feb 1, 2012
The University of Tulsa College of Law and the National Energy Policy Institute will host a discussion on hydraulic fracturing on Feb. 7 in the Great Hall at TU’s Allen Chapman Activity Center, 440 S. Gary Ave, in Tulsa Oklahoma. This is the fourth in a series of annual lectures sponsored by Chesapeake Energy. |
Range Resources signs second ethane agreement
Jan 26, 2012
A subsidiary of Range Resources Corp. has signed an agreement to ship up to 20,000 barrels of ethane per day on Enterprise Products Partners LP's Appalachia-to-Texas ethane pipeline (ATEX Express). |
More positive results for Far East Energy Shouyang Block appraisal wells
Jan 26, 2012
Far East Energy Corp. confirmed positive test results from three more appraisal wells located at significant distances from the 1H Pilot Area in the company’s Shouyang Block. |
Texcom opens new liquid disposal site in heart of Eagle Ford Shale
Jan 25, 2012
Houston-based TexCom Inc., an environmental services company for the oil and gas industry, has opened its new liquid disposal site, owned and operated by its wholly owned subsidiary Eagle Ford Environmental Services LLC. |
Apache to acquire Cordillera Energy Partners for $2.85B
Jan 23, 2012
Apache Corp. has agreed to acquire Denver-based Cordillera Energy Partners III LLC, a privately held company with substantial operations that include approximately 254,000 net acres in the Granite Wash, Tonkawa, Cleveland and Marmaton plays in western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle, for $2.85 billion. |
Pembina to buy Provident Energy in $3.1B deal
Jan 17, 2012
Pembina Pipeline Corp. has agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Provident Energy Ltd. |
Surmont Energy completes Alberta oilsands 3-D seismic program
Jan 17, 2012
Calgary-based private company Surmont Energy Ltd., in conjunction with its operating partner Bounty Developments Ltd., has completed field acquisition of a $3 million 13 square kilometer 3-D seismic program southwest of Ft. McMurray, Alberta. |
Monterey Shale’s Venoco plans merger
Jan 17, 2012
Venoco Inc., an independent energy company with substantial holdings in California’s oily Monterey Shale, said Jan. 16 that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Timothy M. Marquez, Venoco’s chairman and CEO, who controls 50.3% of Venoco’s common stock, will acquire Venoco through a wholly owned entity, Denver Parent Corp.
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i-TEC launches technology to reduce well stimulation time
Jan 10, 2012
Well technology company i-TEC has developed a unique, new lower completion ball drop sleeve system which can radically reduce the time it takes to stimulate a well. |