Engineering energy: unconventional gas production: a study of shale gas in Australia

摘要: Many Australian sedimentary basins are prospective for unconventional gas and the undiscovered resource base is very large. The technology (such as horizontal wells, multi-well pads hydraulic fracturing) available to produce shale (and oil tight gas) in Australia, but production costs likely be significantly higher than those North America lack of infrastructure will further add costs. Shale not cheap it plentiful has potential an economically important additional energy source. Increased use other electricity generation could decrease Australia’s greenhouse emissions based on replacing coal. Because manner which produced impact landscape, ecosystems, surface groundwater, atmosphere, communities, rarely may result minor induced seismicity. It vital industry government recognise complexity challenges posed by these possible impacts. However, most can minimised where effective regulatory system best monitoring practice place remediated they do occur. If earn retain social licence operate, a matter some urgency have such transparent, adaptive implemented, backed addition credible high quality baseline surveys. Research into deep related landscapes, water resources how monitored, essential ensure that any effectively managed impacts minimised.