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Geoscience ›› 2008, Vol. 22 ›› Issue (4): 640-646.

• Engineering Geology and Environmental Geology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Shale Gas and Its Significance for Exploration

ZHANG Jin-chuan,WANG Zong-yu,NIE Hai-kuan,XU Bo,DENG Fei-yong,ZHANG Pei-xian,   

  1. Key Laboratory of Marine Reservoir Evolution and Hydrocarbon Accumulation Mechanism of Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Beijing100083,China
  • Received:2008-05-10 Revised:2008-06-28 Online:2008-04-20 Published:2008-04-20

Abstract:

Unlike the conventional concept of hydrocarbon in fractures, the current definition of shale gas is the absorbed and free gas accumulation that exists in mudstone and/or shale layers with autogenic gas. Gas accumulation in shale is of many particular geological characteristics, some of which are selfgeneration and self-reservation, absorption accumulation, subtle aggregation, and so on. Exploration and exploitation for shale gas have achieved great success in USA in which shale gas has become one of the three economic types of unconventional gas with pervasive exploration value and profitable industrial exploitation. Many basins and regions in China are of favorable geological settings for shale gas,and the research on shale gas develops quickly.In contrast with the geological condition in the eastern USA, the southern China has the favorable geology conditions for shale gas exploration. It is important and significant to research and explore shale gas in China.

Key words: shale gas, non-unconventional gas, exploration

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