Mar 02

Unconvential Gas Conference to be held in London

By ckeddy shale gas in Europe No Comments »

The SMi Group will be presenting Unconventional Gas 2010 on March 15th and 16th in London, England.

Europe’s leading Unconventional Gas conference brings together industry experts and project operators to discuss the drivers, constraints and opportunities for non-conventional operations.

Unconventional gas resources are expected to steer the future of the energy sector in the coming years.  Held at London’s Marriott Hotel Regents Park, SMi’s 3rd Unconventional Gas  conference will be taking a practical look at unconventional gas production challenges, where the pressure is on to reduce costs and still deliver positive results.

Key Topics Include:
•    Common challenges of unconventional gas reservoirs
•    Shale exploration for new entrants in Europe
•    Improving returns on tight gas

Keynote speakers and presenters include representatives of BG Group, Statoil ASA,  Royal Dutch Shell, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, and the British Geological Society and Realm Energy International Corp.

SMi is also presenting two associated events at the same venue on March 17th -  Data Acquisition and Exploration Strategies in Unconventional Gas: Enterprise Value Assessment and Critical Elements of Gas Shale Reservoir Characterization.

Source: SMi

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Feb 16

Oil Giants Head to Europe for Shale Gas

By Trevor J. Murphy shale gas in Europe No Comments »

Oil giants and explorers are jumping into the race to search for shale gas potential in Europe and commit to what analysts at Bloomberg are calling a “buoyant market.”

JPMorgan Chase & Co reported this week that Exxon Mobil has secured land in Europe, acquiring shale plays in Germany and Hungary, and has also applied for permits in Poland. Other companies like ConocoPhillips and Chevron are also exploring options in Poland, while Royal Dutch Shell has garnered contracts in Sweden. Other companies such as Vancouver-based Realm Energy have also made recent announcements of their intent to explore Europe’s shale potential (read “Realm Energy Makes Aggressive Play for European Shale Gas Deposits”).

Mark Greenwood, a Sydney-based analyst with JPMorgan, says the success of the US shale plays is driving companies overseas.

“A land-grab has occurred in Europe over the last two years with majors such as Exxon, Conoco, Chevron and Statoil ASA all participating, not willing to miss out as they did in the U.S.,” he says.

The International Energy Agency said in November the world may have an “acute glut” of gas in the next few years because production of so-called unconventional fuel, which includes shale gas, is set to rise 71 percent between 2007 and 2030.

Over the past three years, the development of technology to exploit shale gas and the boom in US shale success has led to major mergers and acquisitions between oil and gas companies, says Bloomberg.

A report by Wood Mackenzie Consultants Ltd. in the UK said overseas investment by national oil companies doubled from 2008 levels to $26 billion and accounted for 44 percent of spending outside North America.

Another analysis of shale gas done by Allen Brooks of Parks, Paton, Hoepfl & Brown anticipates that this unconventional gas is “likely to present a challenge for the market in 2010.”

SOURCES:
Bloomberg: “Exxon, Chevron ‘Land Grab’ for Europe Shale Gas, JPMorgan says”
Business Week: “Mergers in Oil, Gas Seen ‘Buoyant’ in 2010 by Wood Mackenzie”
Gerson Lehrman Group: “Excellent Analysis of Gas Shales Capabilities; Benefits and Problems for 2010”

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