Status of Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources and its Environment Risk Factors in China

Abstract

The development of resources has achieved revolution from unconventional resources to conventional resources in North America. China's tight oil and gas reservoirs are widely distributed and the exploration potential is tremendous. The abundant unconventional natural gas resources, if exploited reasonably and efficiently, will provide stable energy supply for the sustainable development of Chinese economy. In this paper, a few key techniques including drilling and hydraulic fracturing for the development of unconventional oil and gas resources were introduced. The factors of unconventional oil and gas were put forward,the costs of drilling and well completion and environmental concerns for the development of tight oil and gas in China included ground water contamination, risks to air quality, migration of gases were also introduced which has raised combined with the analysis of future prospects and future technology development. We also offer some technology which has the merits of low cost, efficient for the development of unconventional tight reservoir in horizontal wells. Good conditions have been found in Sichuan, Tarim and Ordos basins for both development and exploitation, finally we can come to a conclusion that the tight oil and gas should be realistic replacement resources of conventional oil and gas.