Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Three-Dimensional Approach to Oil and Gas Shale Exploitation in the US

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Diversity in Coastal Marine Sciences

Part of the book series: Coastal Research Library ((COASTALRL,volume 23))

  • 1062 Accesses

Abstract

For the last two decades oil and gas shale exploitation is going through a real revolution as on one hand the technology to extract those energy resources is improving at an impressive pace and on the other hand high gas price since 2003 made the winning of shale gas economically attractive. When some years later gas price started to show some signs of stagnation or even decline and that on the opposite oil price continued to rise, drilling companies improved their boring technology by means of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracking. Although views differ as to the exact environmental impacts, it is indisputable that besides technical challenges and world market prices the ecological balance also has be taken into account while exploiting new or existing hydrocarbon reserves.

When analyzing the total quantity of available mineral resources versus the potentially exploitable mineral resources, the two traditionally used factors are technique and economics. This classic two-dimensional vision is displayed among others in an original diagram developed by McKelvey in 1976. In this chapter a three-dimensional approach of McKelvey’s box is proposed. The third diagram dimension includes parameters - like the environmental approach - which cannot be neglected any longer today. This new angle will be applied to the exploitation of oil and gas shale.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abu-Obayda Y (2016) Is the world’s shale oil boom ending soon? Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel

    Google Scholar 

  • Allcott H, Keniston D (2014) Dutch disease or agglomeration? The local economic effects of natural resource booms in modern. Washington, DC, National Bureau of Economic

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Asche F, Oglend A, Osmundsen P (2012) Gas versus oil prices the impact of shale gas. Energy Policy 47:117–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benoit B, Zurlo J (2014) Overcoming the challenges of tight/shale oil refining. Pet Technol Q:37–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Berman AE, Pittinger LF (2011) US shale gas: less abundance, higher cost. The oil drum

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown SP (2014) Falling oil prices and US economic activity: implications for the future

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown SP, Yücel MK (2013) The shale gas and tight oil boom: US States’ economic gains and vulnerabilities. Council on Foreign Relations (October)

    Google Scholar 

  • Curtis T (2015) US shale oil dynamics in a low price environment. University of Oxford, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Engdahl FW (2013) The fracked-up USA shale gas bubble. Сайт “Война и Мир”, 14 July 2013

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilje E, Ready R, Roussanov N (2015) Fracking, drilling, and asset pricing: estimating the economic benefits of the shale revolution. University of Rochester, Working Paper

    Google Scholar 

  • Hackett D, Noda L, Grissom S, Moore M, Winter J (2013) Pacific Basin heavy oil refining capacity. SPP Research Paper, (6–8)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton JD (2009) Causes and consequences of the oil shock of 2007–08. National Bureau of Economic Research

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes JD (2013) Energy: a reality check on the shale revolution. Nature 494(7437):307–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacoby HD, O’Sullivan FM, Paltsev S (2011) The influence of shale gas on US energy and environmental policy. MIT joint program on the science and policy of global change

    Google Scholar 

  • Kilian L (2014) The impact of the shale oil revolution on US oil and gasoline prices (499)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinnaman TC (2011) The economic impact of shale gas extraction: a review of existing studies. Ecol Econ 70(7):1243–1249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maugeri L (2012) Oil: the next revolution. Harvard Kennedy School

    Google Scholar 

  • Maugeri L (2013) The shale oil boom: a US phenomenon. Harvard Kennedy School

    Google Scholar 

  • Medlock KB (2012) Modeling the implications of expanded US shale gas production. Energ Strat Rev 1(1):3341

    Google Scholar 

  • Munasib A, Rickman DS (2015) Regional economic impacts of the shale gas and tight oil boom: a synthetic control analysis. Reg Sci Urban Econ 50:1–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murray J, King D (2012) Climate policy: oil’s tipping point has passed. Nature 481(7382):433–435

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nicot J, Scanlon BR (2012) Water use for shale-gas production in Texas, US. Environ Sci Technol 46(6):3580–3586

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paltsev S, Jacoby HD, Reilly JM, Ejaz QJ, Morris J, O’Sullivan F et al (2011) The future of US natural gas production, use, and trade. Energy Policy 39(9):5309–5321

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahm D (2011) Regulating hydraulic fracturing in shale gas plays: the case of Texas. Energy Policy 39(5):2974–2981

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richter PM (2014) From boom to bust? A critical look at US shale gas projections Paper no. 1338

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevens P (2012) The ‘shale gas revolution’: developments and changes. Chatham house briefing paper, 4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thys A (2004) A three-dimensional model for bio-, geo- and chemical resources exploitation. Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • Tissot B, Welte D (2012) Petroleum formation and occurrence: a new approach to oil and gas exploration. Springer Science & Business Media, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations (2003) Press release GA/SM/318, OBV/350: international day for biological diversity, biodiversity and poverty alleviation – challenges for sustainable development; 57th session of the general assembly 22 May 2003

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations (2015) Framework convention on climate change; article 20(3) of the Paris agreement

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Bureau of Mines (1976). Principles of the mineral resource classification system of the U.S. Bureau of mines and U.S. geological survey; USGS Bulletin 1450-A; Reston (VA)

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Bureau of Mines (1980) Principles of a resource/reserve classification for minerals; USGS circular 831. Reston (VA)

    Google Scholar 

  • Vidic RD, Brantley SL, Vandenbossche JM, Yoxtheimer D, Abad JD (2013) Impact of shale gas development on regional water quality. Science 340(6134):1235009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Q, Chen X, Jha AN, Rogers H (2014) Natural gas from shale formation– the evolution, evidences and challenges of shale gas revolution in United States. Renew Sust Energ Rev 30:1–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z, Krupnick A (2013) A retrospective review of shale gas development in the United States: what led to the boom?. Resources for the Future DP, pp 13–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Weijermars R (2014) US shale gas production outlook based on well roll-out rate scenarios. Appl Energy 124:283–297

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willems T (2016) Hoe ziet de toekomst eruit voor de Amerikaanse schaalolie- en gaswinning? Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium

    Alexandre Charles Thys

Authors
  1. Alexandre Charles Thys
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexandre Charles Thys .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Coastal Education & Research Foundation (CERF), Fletcher, North Carolina, USA

    Charles W. Finkl

  2. Coastal Education & Research Foundation (CERF), Coconut Creek, Florida, USA

    Christopher Makowski

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Thys, A.C. (2018). A Three-Dimensional Approach to Oil and Gas Shale Exploitation in the US. In: Finkl, C., Makowski, C. (eds) Diversity in Coastal Marine Sciences. Coastal Research Library, vol 23. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57577-3_39

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation