Does the US have an unlimited supply of inexpensive natural gas from shale that will be quickly produced or will the resource be produced more slowly and sold for higher prices? An essay in the Financial Times explores this question.

From the Alabama Geological Survey’s Conasauga Formation Shale Gas Play website.: “The Conasauga Shale Gas Pool should initially be defined as that interval of the Conasauga Shale productive of hydrocarbons between 1,946 feet and 6,944 feet as indicated on the Array Induction-GR Density-APS log of the Dominion Black Warrior Basin, Inc. Newman 27-07-06 Well, Permit No. 14495 including those strata productive of hydrocarbons which can be correlated therewith, and all zones in communication therewith, and productive extensions thereof. However, the upper and lower productive limits of the Conasauga Shale Gas Pool in the proposed field have yet to be fully defined. Said pool constitutes a separate and distinct gas producing pool in said field, separate and distinct from any other producing pool in said field.”

From the Alabama Geological Survey website: “To assist in the development of emerging gas shale plays in Alabama, the Geological Survey of Alabama is conducting a three-year study on the geology and development potential of gas shale in the Black Warrior basin and Appalachian thrust belt of Alabama. These areas contain a diversity of emerging gas shale plays in Cambrian through Mississippian strata.”

The Wall Street Journal has an article titled: “America’s Natural Gas Revolution: A ’shale gale’ of unconventional and abundant U.S. gas is transforming the energy market.”

“At the end of 2008, domestic natural gas proved reserves reached their highest level since the U.S. Energy Information Administration began reporting them in 1977. Total U.S. proved reserves of dry natural gas rose by 6.9 trillion cubic feet from 2007 to 2008.” Quoted from the Energy Information Administration report.

The Energy Information Administration released a report on the potential for oil and gas development in the Arctic Ocean. That report states… “Given that the Arctic resource base is predominantly composed of natural gas and natural gas liquids, the importance of Arctic oil and natural gas resources is likely to be affected by the growing realization that shale beds in existing petroleum provinces around the world might be capable of producing 5,000 to 16,000 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.47 This potentially large shale gas resource could significantly defer the future development of Arctic natural gas resources.”

The Alabama Geological Survey has a summary publication titled “An Overview of the Floyd Shale & Chattanooga Shale Gas Play in Alabama“. This is a technical report that summarizes the geology and drilling activity that has recently occurred in Alabama.

Much of the energy potential of the Arctic is based upon natural gas and natural gas liquids. As the shale plays in the United States and other parts of the world are developed they reduce the incentive for energy companies to tackle the challenging environment of the Arctic. From an EIA report on Arctic Ocean oil and gas potential.

Energy industry executives debated the importance of natural gas shales at the Denver Peak Oil Conference – some think it is a “game changer”.

An Associated Press article presents the views of a geological consultant who believes that the production potential of natural gas from shales is overstated.

A National Public Radio article explores how new technology has led to the “rediscovery of natural gas” in the United States. “Natural gas reserves in the United States are actually 35 percent higher than believed just two years ago, and some geologists say even that estimate is too conservative.”

Researchers have argued for a long time about some natural gas being generated in the mantle without any organic material being present. Experimental studies now show that natural gas can be produced at mantle temperature/pressure conditions without organics.

The 11th annual Unconventional Gas Conference will be begin on Wednesday November 18th at the Telus Convention Center in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. More details from the Canadian Society for Unconventional Gas.

All of the recent gas shale activity has been responsible for much of the 35% increase in natural gas reserves reported by the Potential Gas Committee. An article in the New York Times provides details on where these new reserves came from and how they might impact prices, uses and markets.

Although North Carolina has no current oil or natural gas production, drilling methods developed in other states might be used to tap natural gas reservoirs in Mesozoic basins beneath several North Carolina counties. The Cumnock Formation of the Deep River Basin and the Cow Branch Formation of the Dan River Basin both contain organic-rich shales that might yield commercial quantities of natural gas. More at Geology.com.