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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.
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Shale Gas Plays |
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The total value of US oil and gas mergers and acquisitions increased
significantly in 2011 due to continued investment in US shale plays and related infrastructure, sustained interest from foreign buyers, and private equity entrants deploying capital in the energy industry, according to an analysis of energy M&A data by PwC US. A major trend in the energy sector driving the increase in deal value throughout the year was a shift towards more investments in oil and liquid plays as natural gas prices remained depressed amid hitting a 10-year low in 2011.
Read more here.
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.
Drillinginfo CEO offers insights into global unconventional plays
May 24, 2012
Allen Gilmer, Drilling Info's chairman and CEO, spoke at an invitation-only lunch presentation May 23, at the Calgary Petroleum Club in Calgary, Canada. After being introduced by Energy Navigator's CEO Boyd Russell, Gilmer focused on the analytical approach to the development of global unconventional plays. |
Keystone XL Pipeline depicted in info-graphic
May 15, 2012
Visual Capitalist recently published an info-graphic on the Keystone XL Pipeline. Although it’s pretty basic, it visually describes the situation very well. |
PDC Energy to acquire Core Wattenberg assets, accelerate Niobrara development
May 14, 2012
Denver, Colo.-based Petroleum Development Corp. today announced it has executed a definitive agreement to acquire Core Wattenberg assets that contain significant liquid-rich horizontal drilling opportunities from a private party for a purchase price of approximately $330.6 million. The effective date of the transaction is April 1, 2012 with closing scheduled for June 29, 2012. |
Copano to expand processing capacity to meet Eagle Ford demand
May 10, 2012
In response to producer demand in the Eagle Ford shale play, Copano Energy, LLC announced today it will add 400,000 Mcf per day of cryogenic processing capacity at its Houston Central complex in Colorado County, Texas. |
Ex-Im to finance $2.95B in US exports for Australia LNG project
May 10, 2012
The Export-Import Bank of the United States has authorized a $2.95 billion direct loan to support US exports to the Australia Pacific liquefied natural gas (LNG) project. The transaction is Ex-Im’s second-largest single-project financing in history and is also the Bank’s first LNG project in Australia. |
CARBO to construct ceramics plant in Georgia
May 4, 2012
Houston-based CARBO Ceramics Inc. will begin construction on a manufacturing plant in Millen, Ga., by the end of the year. Operations could begin at the end of 2013. |
Apache completes Cordillera Energy acquisition
May 1, 2012
Houston, Texas-based Apache Corp. today announced it has completed its acquisition of Cordillera Energy Partners III, LLC, a privately held company with operations and acreage across the Granite Wash, Tonkawa, Cleveland and Marmaton plays in western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle. |
Bayardo senior VP of Continental Resources
May 1, 2012
Continental Resources, Inc. has appointed Jose A. Bayardo as senior vice president of business development. In this role, he will lead the company's investment, acquisition and divestiture teams. |
Eagle Ford impact study results to be released
Apr 30, 2012
Results of the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Eagle Ford Shale Economic Impact Study will be presented on two dates in May. |
Halcón Resources to acquire GeoResources for $1B
Apr 27, 2012
Halcón Resources Corp. and GeoResources, Inc. announced April 25 that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement in which GeoResources will merge into a wholly-owned subsidiary of Halcón Resources in a cash and stock transaction that values GeoResources at approximately $1 billion, based on the closing price of Halcón Resources common stock on April 24. |
The “natural gas revolution” is changing global energy dynamics, including the outlook for energy security in the United States and elsewhere. 
In his keynote speech to the annual 31st annual CERAWeek Executive Conference in Houston, Peter Voser, CEO of Royal Dutch Shell plc, outlines what the industry and policymakers must do to ensure society fully leverages the many benefits of natural gas. He calls for well-targeted and robustly enforced regulations to ensure tight and shale gas production meets the highest standards. He also urges the industry to do a better job of listening and responding to public concerns about the environmental and operational challenges associated with gas production.
Read the full speech by Peter Voser here.