Global shale gas market will reach $26.67bn in 2011

June 15, 2011 | Budget & Investment

shale_gas_map

Visiongain’s latest energy report The Shale Gas Market 2011-2021, details this exciting industry coming out of North America into the rest of the world. Visiongain calculates that the global shale gas market will reach $26.67bn in 2011.

The cleaner burning characteristics of natural gas in comparison to other fossil fuels is making the commodity increasingly more popular in a world looking to curb carbon emissions. Improvements in technologies over the last ten years have increased the feasibility of extracting gas from shale rock leading to a significant increase in domestic natural gas production in the US.

The shale gas market has seen powerful growth in North America over the last 10 years as the combination of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling has made shale gas extraction economically feasible. The growing volume of domestically produced natural gas from shale sources in the US has driven other nations around the world to dynamically investigate their own potential shale gas reserves. The shale gas market is therefore presenting a wealth of opportunities for growth over the next ten years.

The success of developing shale plays in the US has seen an explosion of interest from nations outside of North America looking to achieve similar levels of energy independence. While North America is a critical market for shale gas, the potential for shale gas production outside of this region is considerable and will bring an abundance of opportunity. Rising natural gas demand and the mitigation of energy dependencies are driving the global shale gas market. However, the high costs of developing shale, low natural gas prices and the cautious governments are the main restraining factors. Certain Governments are facing calls for an investigation into the safety of shale gas extraction over fears of links to recent earth tremors. ‘While there is mounting pressure on the US shale gas sector over the safety of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, the industry should prove that these fears are overstated, if not altogether inaccurate. Enormous prospects that have only just begun to be tapped in the US and Canada and have yet to be exploited elsewhere, as well as expanding natural gas consumption, particularly for power generation, will ensure investment in shale gas development booms over the coming ten years.’ says Scotland, visiongain report analyst.

The Shale Gas Market 2011-2021 is a visiongain energy report examining key aspects of this burgeoning industry and its rapid expansion around the globe. Visiongain’s The Shale Gas Market 2011-2021 examines in depth one of the fastest growing and most exciting areas of the energy industry. Although shale gas has the potential to significantly reduce a given countries dependency on gas imports, it has also been the subject of much controversial media attention. These issues are covered thoroughly in this timely publication. The Shale Gas Market report includes; quantified forecasts for the global and largest national markets, offering insight into where the best growth opportunities lie; a study of the drivers and restraints in the shale gas market; a SWOT analysis of the market and interviews with shale gas industry experts. This compilation of key information and market forecasts creates an invaluable tool for anyone interested in the shale gas market.