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ISLAMABAD: In a major development, the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the American federal authority on energy statistics and analysis, has estimated fresh recoverable shale gas reserves of 105 trillion cubic feet (TCF) and more than nine billion barrels of oil in Pakistan.
These estimates of recoverable hydrocarbon reserves are many times larger than so far proven reserves of 24 TCF for gas and about 300 million barrels for oil. Pakistan currently produces about 4.2 billion cubic feet of gas and about 70,000 barrels of oil per day.
A government official said the new estimates appeared to be ‘very very encouraging’ but it had not been shared with the government of Pakistan. He said the shale gas had seen tremendous developments in the United States and a couple of other countries were trying to use the latest technology. Pakistan, he said, was also encouraging exploration and production companies to venture into the fresh horizon.
According to a June 2013 estimates of the EIA based on surveys conducted by Advanced Resources International (ARI), a total of 1,170 TCF of risked shale gas are estimated for India-Pakistan region --584 TCF in India and 586 TCF in Pakistan.
In case of Pakistan these estimates are backed by proven studies and verified technical data “The risked, technically recoverable shale gas resource is estimated at 201 TCF, with 96 TCF in India and 105 TCF in Pakistan,” said the EIA.
The EIA also estimated risked shale oil in place for India/Pakistan of 314 billion barrels, with 87 billion barrels in India and 227 billion barrels in Pakistan. “The risked, technically recoverable shale oil resource is estimated at 12.9 billion barrels for those two countries, with 3.8 billion barrels for India and 9.1 billion barrels for Pakistan,” the EIA said.
The southern and central Indus basins are located in Pakistan, along border with India and Afghanistan which are bounded by the Indian shield on the east and highly folded and thrust mountains on the west.
The lower Indus basin has commercial oil and gas discoveries in the Cretaceous-age Goru Fm sands plus additional gas discoveries in shallower formations. The shales in the Sembar Formation are considered as the primary source rocks for these discoveries.
The EIA said that while oil and gas shows have been recorded in the Sembar Shale on the Thar Platform, no productive oil or gas wells have yet been drilled into the Sembar Shale.
About the resource assessment, the EIA said that within 31,320 sq miles of dry gas prospective area, the Sembar Shale in the lower Indus basin had a resource concentration of 83 billion cubic feet per square mile. Within the 25,560 square mile wet gas and condensate prospective are, the Sembar shale has resource concentration of 57 BCF per sq. miles of wet gas and nine million barrels per square mile of condensate. Within the 26,700 square miles oil prospective area, the Sembar Shale has a resource concentration of 37 million barrels per square mile.
Read more
On DawnNews
Aug 28, 2013 06:37am
We have reserves of everything except unity, faith and discipline.
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Aug 28, 2013 07:31am
Shale gas exploration is a new venue and technology is in infancy stage. Its very important to understand the catastrophic environmental damages. In US most oil companies are pushing for this but its still not permitted to commercially explore shale gas. The reason is irrecoverable pollution of underground water. If one exploration faults out then there is a chance of irrecoverable under water pollution for that entire region. In Pakistan the level of underground water is lowering at alarming pace and if on top of that if the remaining water is polluted then Pakistan is going to face a very big water problem in future. So please do a good R&D before opting this option.
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Aug 28, 2013 08:01am
And a common fool would think that this would make his life better. Sorry to inform the common fool that the Chaudhries and Saeens of Pakistan just may have other plans for them.
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Aug 28, 2013 08:06am
There is significant shale gas developments being carried out at Canada at the moment and probably other countries as well (as hinted in the news items). Pakistan better act and plan for exploiting these reserves by collaborating with the best technological players in the field.
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Aug 28, 2013 08:23am
How pathetic that EIA had to give us this information. Now we don't have the technology to recover this gas and oil. We need some US firm to do this for us as they are the only country who have perfected this technology.
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Aug 28, 2013 08:40am
Ture that, but Pakistan will never benefit from all this. What have we done with the resources that we have since 1947 ?
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Aug 28, 2013 09:25am
if american authorities have proved to have such great reserves it doest not mean america owns it.when our politicians will awake to have sight of the situation and endure to make use of it.
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Aug 28, 2013 09:29am
Watch out for USA
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Aug 28, 2013 10:03am
Pakistan is blessed with so much natural wealth but if only we had a visionary leader to exploit this wealth.
I have heard stories such as this article all my life but so far the result is "zero" our quality of life has deteriorated even if we are blessed with all the natural wealth.
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Aug 28, 2013 10:05am
Govt. Of Pakistan !!!!
Are you listening to this ???
When will u act ???
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Aug 28, 2013 10:14am
So more money to plunder for the Bhuttos & Sharifs. Good for them.
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Aug 28, 2013 10:39am
That is one great news for Pakistan. But wait US and West is reading this news too! =|
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Aug 28, 2013 11:10am
No use to discuss it. Nothing'll happen like PPP 5 years buk buk on Thar coal
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Aug 28, 2013 11:26am
I'm currently working in Western Canada, where there is a major shale gas boom (in Northeast British Columbia). The amount of water needed for fracking (the current method of extracting the shale gas) is astronomical. Then there is the requirements of disposing of the (waste) water as well - you can't just pump it back in, Pakistan being an agricultural country.
ALSO. It is important to note that a few years ago Poland was the darling of the shale gas industry - it is now known to be an almost total flop.
That being said, if we manage to extract this resource sustainably, and use it for our needs and even sell it on, it can lead to an amazing boom. Inshallah we will be able to harness this resource!
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Aug 28, 2013 11:33am
Why doesn't Pakistan start a Shale Gas Education and Research Institute immediately?????
Why we are always late ???.
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Aug 28, 2013 11:39am
@Alishan:
They are the one who are telling you what you have, we do not have the ability to take it out either, so relax when it will be needed they will help us attain that.
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Aug 28, 2013 11:38am
@Alishan:
no they are not reading it! that is actually something they figured out and has not yet been shared with Pakistani Government.
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Aug 28, 2013 11:59am
We have everything expect will to do thing right
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Aug 28, 2013 12:03pm
@Maaz Khan:
Thank you Maaz sharing your experience. I like to share that I met by chance in a dinner one geologist and who worked on Thar coal project in Pakistan. He mentioned that Thar coal contain 47% moisture and one possibility to burn it is to add a quantity of fine quality of coal from South Arfica and then we may produce electricity. But regrefully our nation has followed Dr. Samar. Dr.Samar idea was to burn the coal inside mines/rocks and steam come out from rock will run the steam turbine. This has wasted at least two years of the nation. Nation is developed by professional like you but regrefully our nation is still saluting administrators and casting vote to unethical politicians and hoping that all will turn good automatically.
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Aug 28, 2013 12:03pm
Dear Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif,
We believe in your expertise. Please do utmost to dig it out and make Pakistan self reliant. Pakistanis and its founder will be indebted to you. We are great nation. Need to fight our internal and external enemies. The best thing is to seal our border with Afghanistan to stop infiltration.
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Aug 28, 2013 12:09pm
What happened to the loud mouthed scientists, who calimed similar things in not so distant past.
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Aug 28, 2013 12:09pm
@Maaz: There is no shale gas boom in canada. At best, there is an over-supply of gas. Shale boom primarily took place in U.S in plays like Bakken, Barnett and Eagle ford. Shale reserves were known to E&P companies since mid 50s but their development only kick-started once well servicing companies optimized fracking. Yes, slickwater fracking requires enormous amount of water but other alternatives being trialed i.e. gas/ gel frac. Drilling and completion of hz wells for shale production is expensive and most Pakistan based E&P companies simply won't be able to justify such an investment at the moment. On a side note, shale reserves in Pakistan are way deeper compared to Canada (Montney) and US so well development cost will be higher in Pakistan than states and canada.
Apart from this, EIA is referring to contingent resource here which are practically useless in most cases for quite a few decades.
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Aug 28, 2013 12:17pm
It is indeed a pleasure to read such articles but alas Pakistan remains abegging.
For many decades these articles of an underlying strength are being published to no avail. In the terrain minerals, oil, and gas and above it; human resources, are the machinery to propel us into a new development era but unfortunately this remains only an impeller.
Heartening and disheartening. Thank you and Salams
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Aug 28, 2013 12:20pm
It is American strategy by showing such Utopian reserves in pakistan and tries to change pakistani mind from Iran Pakistan gas pipeline think government will also give reason about Iran apkistan pipeline and will say Pakistan has enough reserve to fulfill the needs.
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Aug 28, 2013 12:40pm
Forget all the negativity and enjoy the fact that there is so much oil and gas in Pakistan. Pakistan should wait when the shale gas technologies have developed a bit more so that cost of extraction is lower and then start the exploration.
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Aug 28, 2013 12:50pm
Wow all the comments ar so negative! thumbs up if u agree
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Aug 28, 2013 12:59pm
@Maaz Khan:
Precisely the analysis our Govt officials need before claiming they have uncovered some thing "big"
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Aug 28, 2013 01:05pm
@rashid zaidi:
It is a very good news, however, we should immediately establish a team of honest, dedicated and high profile technical experts to start working on the feasibility study of Shale oil and gas project. Meanwhile, we should contact companies and countries already worked on Shale technology including USA and China.
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Aug 28, 2013 01:09pm
@Faisal:
Why you are pessimestic, be sure PMLN governement will do.... I guarantee. Although i was supporting PTI candidate locally but now i come to knwo it was wrong. Everyone noticed during first 3 months they reduce electricity problem and we can expect at the end of 5 years PMLN will do a lot in the development of country.
Malikpur Janderbari
Abbottabad
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Aug 28, 2013 01:18pm
@Maaz Khan:
Until we have these corrupt politicians and power loving army men, we can't progress.
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Aug 28, 2013 01:32pm
We have all the resources but we dont have the capability to extract them and our government is still sleeping.. might be thinking how to sell these reserves to foreign companies...
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Aug 28, 2013 01:39pm
Pakistan: yahooo we have biggest reserivor of shale gas,
US: okie, lets bring democracy to pakistan.
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Aug 28, 2013 01:39pm
@Waqar Haider Bokhari:
Dear Waqar, Shale oil is the latest technology in the world, which US has just invented. Even China is strugling to get hold on this technology. As far as I know Americans, they are not goin to share this technology with any other country in near future. We might be lucky if China is able to acquire this technology in near future.Shale oil is recoved from Rocks rather than drilling in the gound.
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Aug 28, 2013 01:51pm
@Waqar Haider Bokhari:
Really? Lol!
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Aug 28, 2013 02:10pm
@Waqar Haider Bokhari:
Because now our politicians and bureaucrats are busy calculating commissions and kickbacks in foreign banks.
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Aug 28, 2013 02:13pm
@Faisal:
We have heard news of such claims of vast resources so many times before. Back in the 60's, there were headlines about gold found in the sea near Karachi. What happened to that???
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Aug 28, 2013 02:29pm
Shale Oil is Not really the most feasible source of energy at the moment despite the gains made in extraction technology. The whole process requires lots of water and not to mention that results are catastrophic to envoirment.
Our focus should be on Thar coal more hten any thing else.
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Aug 28, 2013 02:30pm
Shale gas was also discovered in France a few years ago and its exploitation was soon prohibited for the following reasons:
- it increases seismic risks because solid rocks are cracked and a chemical is injected from the ground with a tremendous pressure and as a reaction, the gas comes to the surface)
- it pollutes air
- it pollutes water (in a big way)
- whatever is grown on the sol is also contaminated
I think, the public health protection in Pakistan has never been a concern of the state ... !!!
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Aug 28, 2013 02:30pm
This technology called fracking used to recover the gas is not new, its in use in the US and Canada ...............nice movie called ' The Promised Land ' with Matt Damon throws some light on this subject. As in America it is quite a disputed subject.
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Aug 28, 2013 02:31pm
That is good news but it will take time and a lot of investment to extract this oil and gas. It will also be more expensive than the current gas which we are extracting from the conventional reserves. But it is good news and can give us a semblance of energy security in the near future. However, it is now up to the government to provide security in the country and an environment conducive to business and investment.
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Aug 28, 2013 02:58pm
Shale gas is natural gas that is found trapped within shale formations. A process called "fracturing" is used to extract it.
It is not something new. It has been there since 1821 and industrial and commerically viable by 1970s. "Fracturing" is the worst form of extracting natural resources and Pakistan being a corrupt, under developed, non R & D country, will suffer the worst.
The extraction and use of shale gas can affect the environment through the leaking of extraction chemicals. Since (depending on the size of the area) millions of liters of water are used, this means that hundreds of thousands liters of chemicals are often injected into the soil. Only about 50% to 70% of the resulting volume of contaminated water is recovered and stored in above-ground ponds to await removal by tanker. The wastewater from such operations often lead to foul-smelling odors and heavy metals contaminating the local water supply above-ground.
Scientists have been investigating the recent increase in the number of magnitude 3 and greater earthquake in the midcontinent of the United States. Beginning in 2001, the average number of earthquakes occurring per year of magnitude 3 or greater increased significantly, culminating in a six-fold increase in 2011 over 20th century levels. Instances of an earthquake linked to shale gas extraction happened in 2011 in North-West England and led to the company Cuadrilla Resources having to suspend all operations. A researcher in Center for Earthquake assumes water pushed back into the fault tends to cause earthquake by slippage of fault.
I think its better to wait until Science can find an alternative to "fracturing" process that is used for SHALE GAS extraction, till then lets concenterate on Hydro-Power, Solar, Wind. (Coal is good but air pollution is a very big problem).
There are many countries which do not have natural resources but are "First-World" Economies like Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore. And on the other hand, we can see the middle-east where OIL boom also counldn't change much beside just making the Rulers richer and good for nothing high Rise buildings. Soon this Oil boom would be over and we would see more civil wars !
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Aug 28, 2013 02:59pm
There is no better resource for a country than people. If we invest on them properly then both the nation will prosper and flourish. However I hope the reserves are genuine and will be extracted for the benefit of both the countries.
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Aug 28, 2013 03:03pm
Shale Gas has some serious side effects, it completely contaminates the underground water supply with methane gas. the US is facing this problem in all the areas where they have shale gas wells, to a point that u cud light a fire on the tap water running at home..there are a few good documentaries made recently on Fracking. all those who advocate shale gas must first present a solution to prevent contamination of underground water supply. wat good is gas wen we cant have fresh water.
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Aug 28, 2013 03:16pm
This means we have something more to fight about. And of course to exploit our people more and to waste this resource as well
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Aug 28, 2013 03:16pm
@Waqar Haider Bokhari:
Are u kidding? What did your country discover till now?
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Aug 28, 2013 03:25pm
Sell the country to China, they will get it out of the ground and if we beg hard enough they will throw us a few scraps too.
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Aug 28, 2013 03:39pm
If OGDC survey the area of North Waziristan agency they can find a good reservoir whether in Datta khel area or in Dnadey area of Miranshah north.
the Eisha area have a limestone of Irani area Aghajari origin .
There fore it is requested to spend some days there and do the survey with modern tech.KPK mineral development co have a project of hydrocarbon in the same area ,but the work should be start very soon.
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Aug 28, 2013 03:52pm
The news is not new. Pakistan oil and gas industry already is working on it with Pakistan Petroleum Limited and Eni having a collaboration on unconventional resources. I am not sure if Asim Hussain lead MP&NR managed to formulate a policy on it.
Maaz Khan reply make sense. It is easily said then done. It is going to be a major challenge to exploit these resources, most important hurdle being our own mindset where a Exploration Manager is not happy to drill anything other than a structural trap. Unfortunately so far we have not been able to think laterally on exploration let alone unconventional resource exploitation.
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Aug 28, 2013 03:51pm
We are already being blessed with major natural resources, but unfortunately we are much failed to explore and use them as our strength ! I hope the government may show some interest and may they use this huge opportunity for the benefit of country rather than their own!
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Aug 28, 2013 03:54pm
This news will mean huge potential and security for most nations of the world but in Pakistan at best it represent an opportunity for corrupt government and military officials and cheap resource for developed countries or China who will take all it can cheaply from anywhere whilst pretending to be friends. The poor of Pakistan have little chance of benefitting.
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Aug 28, 2013 04:07pm
Shale gas is not good for envoirment.
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Aug 28, 2013 04:44pm
Nigeria, Libya, Algeria and South Sudan too have lots of crude oil reserves. Hasn't done its people any good. The Gulf 'Oil doms' only exist because the West allows them to.
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Aug 28, 2013 04:51pm
@RajaMD:At least some of you in Pakistan know what your friendship with China is worth.
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Aug 28, 2013 04:57pm
Let the truth come out. Most of the time such news becomes a state secret, especially when under the table deals take over.
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Aug 28, 2013 04:58pm
This process of extraction requires a huge amount of water, which then becomes contaminated and useless. Pakistan is currently facing a water shortage, so its infeasible to go ahead with a project like this.
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Aug 28, 2013 05:08pm
Take with a pinch of salt. Thar coal has been in the ground for over 30 years since discovery. Gold and copper abundance in Balochistan.
Certain parties do not want Pak to have Iranian gas.
This is the oldest trick in the book .... tell the Pakis how good they are and how much natural resources they have but do not allow exploitation at the same time prevent Iranian gas coming into Pakistan.
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Aug 28, 2013 05:46pm
Let it be buried rather than stolen by few thieves that occupy positions in bureacracy and parliament and are untouchables.
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Aug 28, 2013 05:56pm
@Irfan:
Thats not true, I live in Scotland where UK Govt is extracting Shale gas for years. They use frackig to do it and it's a very common way of extracting the gas.
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Aug 28, 2013 06:30pm
its good news but i watched a documentary made by a US citizen in which he showed how dangerous the extraction of shale gas can be by a method called hydraulic fracturing. if there is any other safe way to extract this natural resource then we can solve our energy crisis.
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Aug 28, 2013 07:04pm
This same article was published a month ago in other papers, why has Dawn brought it up now?
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Aug 28, 2013 07:05pm
@Irfan:
Well said. Lets not jump into this (but we know our illiterate politicians will run towards the first contractor) without assessing the risk & tech available to extract these resources. There is also suggestion that fracking can lead to earthquakes as well...
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Aug 28, 2013 07:07pm
@draks:
Wonderfully said, I couldnt agree more! Just look at S.Korea.
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Aug 28, 2013 07:12pm
Techological capacity to explore shale commercially?
Italy, Poland, Hungary, Netherlands, Austria shall help. Oh Europe! Love you.
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Aug 28, 2013 07:33pm
We as a nation should stop wasting time looking for underground treasures that may or may not change our lives in future. All we need to do is to develop the resource of almost 200 million people. Imagine what good it would bring to our nation and to the world. Please stop wasting time on treasure or on witch hunting....May Allah bless our nation...Ameen!
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Aug 28, 2013 07:41pm
@Ali Asghar:
I think we should concentrate on Thar Coal and Reko Diq gold first. We are not rich nation like Saudi Arabia, We can't start mutliple project at the same time. We should do our home work on Shale Gas, once we start making money from coal and gold we would invest money on Shale gas.
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Aug 28, 2013 07:50pm
*"A government official said the new estimates appeared to be
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Aug 28, 2013 08:02pm
@FACT:
Nobody is going to share any technology. They invented it for themselves, not for you. Only there companies will use it to hammer a 80/20 deal or even worst. 80% would go on the science and technology side and you be on the 20% side with a bonus of pollution. This is the fate of every nation who invest their efforts in supremacy of God. This is law of nature. Nature doesn't care if somebody works for God or not. It rewards the people who understand its laws and work with it.
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Aug 28, 2013 08:23pm
Big deal!
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Aug 28, 2013 08:30pm
@Azhar:
Well said! We Pakistanis do not have the resources we NEED just like Saudi Arabia, Libya, Iran, and the like.
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Aug 28, 2013 08:33pm
We will now be as powerful as other Gulf Oil producing countries. US will dance in front of us. Our neighbor will have problem with us and will be in trouble. We will now be superpower like China..We will now teach lesson to our neighbor..
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Aug 28, 2013 09:07pm
Seems like a news implant. Candy floss for a nation without hope. Same old people will make money out of such non sense news and in the end it will all look like Gwadar, riko deq, thar coal, kalabagh, bhasha and bullet train
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Aug 28, 2013 09:25pm
I find it funny that most people pretend to be shale gas experts on this forum :P Underground water contimination is purely a regulatory issue. Fracking does not contaminate undergound water. Water contamination takes place when shale wells are not completed in line with best practices. Well casing integrity is main issue here rather than fracking. Shale wells are way deeper than undergound water channels in an overwhleming majority of instances so until casing integrity is compromised water wouldn't be contaminated. Now, to prevent contamination well drilling and completions is higly regulated in US and Canada. I doubt Pakistan would be able to enforce such a stringent regime of checks and balances. So please stop equating fracking to water pollution. Most of such comments are based on factually incorrect internet /news articles and reports.
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Aug 28, 2013 10:53pm
@Irfan:
in this country of Pakistan no one cares as to what happens to the general public as long as the involved mining parties and rich politicians get their shares in order.
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Aug 29, 2013 12:03am
@FACT:
"....Shale oil is the latest technology in the world, which US has just invented....they are not goin to share this technology......"
I work in the oil patch in Calgary, Canada. We fracture Viking sandstones, Bakken sandstones as well as Bakken shales (mostly in southern Saskatchewan) I reassure you that it is not secret technology that some country is unwilling to share. Wells here are essentially the same as those we drill in Pakistan (except that these are horizontal wells to increase reservoir contact/ coverage/ drainage). All you have to do is run special frac tools which can be rented from Baker Hughes, Halliburton, Schlumberger, Weatherford along with tanks/ pumping units. Even I.T.S. in Islamabad could arrange tools for you if you want.
The problem is that fracking requires a lot of "fresh" water which Pakistan cannot spare because Pakistan does not have adequate storage. There is also a lot of environmental concerns around this, but the regulatory bodies here that are very strict with audits and enforcement of regulations/ compliance. While drilling ALL mud losses are to be reported (to make sure that nothing contaminates ground water). Ground water is to be protected at all costs. Look at the Alberta Energy Regulator website (aer.ca) in the rules and directives section and you will understand what a lot of effort has to be made to ensure safety of the environment (and ultimately the people).
My opinion is that Pakistan is just not ready for this technology. I remember a time when my ex-employer lost a radioactive source downhole in Sindh. Ofcourse, as a big multinational, the company was required by its own internal procedures to disclose the loss. We went to the CIM (Chief Inspector of Mines) about any local government regulations and he was shockingly not aware of any. Long story short, the employer cemented it downhole. In the West, if that had happened, the company would have had to pay a hefty fine (hundreds of thousands of dollars) with huge cleanup effort (drilling 3-5 hole around main hole and cementing the main as well as the other to "entomb" the radioactive tool for eternity).
Similarly, drilling in Nara wildlife sanctuary, we wanted to dispose drilling fluids properly. Sardar used to force us to haul/ dispose off drilling fluids, charging us a lot of money. However, he used to drain the fluids in Nara canal. IF that's going to happen with frac fluid returns, forget about it!
INMO, Pakistan is not ready for it
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Aug 29, 2013 12:51am
Thanks for publishing this news as inviting other countries on our soil. Remember Iraq?
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Aug 29, 2013 01:02am
Shale gas in not friendly environment. It required a lot of water and that water can not be reused.
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Aug 29, 2013 01:11am
Making money in such investments depends on efficient processing of resources. If you are not efficient you will end up loosing money. It may be better to import resources at better prices. In addition, we have a situation at home where no one wants to invest in Pakistan due to terrorism. How should be expect the oil companies to invest and operate in such environment.
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Aug 29, 2013 02:28am
@Amina :
totally agreed sense should prevail
witwitty@live.com
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Aug 29, 2013 04:33am
@Irfan:
That is not quite true. The water containing gas and being set alight has been happening in Texas for quite a while now. I know of peers and colleagues who speak of that happening in their childhood. However, with such gas reserves, you go deeper and the surface water table, that primarily affects sources of fresh water, is protected by the casing. There is no contamination to that effect. Alot of CSG drilling takes place here in Queensland, Australia too without much drama... I think we should proceed with this to eliminate the energy deficit, create a local industry out of it, train our professionals to lead and hope against hope for a fair government!
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Aug 29, 2013 04:46am
Dear Friends!
This is a really good news, already known to the experts in Shale. By the way fracking is now a very improved technology and many states in USA are utilizing that for their respective economic growth. We should also adopt the latest technology for broader welfare of our country.
The doubts about environment are no more owing to advanced techniques available for water re-usage and to maintain soil quality. As fracking is done very deep in the earth's crust, so fears of soil contamination from chemicals are unfounded. These doubts are raised by OIL LOBBY against GAS, to maintain oil prices and monoply over resources. Let us move forward.
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Aug 29, 2013 11:30am
This is only safe and environment friendly method to overcome power deficiency and run our factories.Listen Nawaz Sharief explore it otherwise wait for ur bad days...imran is waiting
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Aug 29, 2013 11:47am
Congratulations Pakistan! Hope this leads to prosperity for all in Pakistan! God bless!
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Aug 29, 2013 01:15pm
we are having this and that its good feeling but our concern authorities are not focusing on exacting, no leader have ambition to do this for a target time frame. they are expert to empty govt accounts but not having vision to fill them and spend that money on people.
in our beloved country govt to push to each individual to buy expensive food, home, security , education and medical and same time they want taxes on these things too.
in our beloved country police is allow to insult any citizen anytime because citizen fund them to protect them
in our beloved country civil and army servants are having more privileges and facilitates compare to a citizen.
in our beloved country our selected politicians are like kings and again citizen are funding for all their Ayashi and loot mar.
welcome to Pakistan's unique democracy
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Aug 29, 2013 04:10pm
@Shaffiq:
Thar Coal was discovered in 1991, not 30 years ago. You are likely to see coal extraction from Thar in the next 2-3 years. However you are right to be wary of US motives.
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Aug 29, 2013 05:42pm
@By SMAK : True Cost of Shale Gas:
Agreed. Just wanted to add one more thing. Although Pakistan is full of resources, we should form a corruption free organization to oversea the environmental impacts of Shale Oil and Gas Exploration. Apart from earthquake, the most IMPORTANT environmental issue is contamination of fresh water resources underground. Water resources are linked underground and if the chemicals ever seep into the water tables of fresh resources we will lose them forever. We have to make a decision whether we need fresh water to drink or bring the oil and gas above ground to drive our Vehicles.(Most oil is used for transportation).
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Aug 29, 2013 10:47pm
@Shankar:
thanks a lot friend
Asif from Pakistan
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Aug 30, 2013 12:27am
@Wasem:
best comment !
Low natural resources are directly proportional to high human development.
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Aug 30, 2013 05:10am
@Shah:
I work in the O&G sector and if you say fracking is good, its like saying junk food is getting better, but it is still junk.
you have no idea what disaster fracking is!!! there is nothing good about it apart from few becoming rich and greed is pushing this further... let's leave it there.
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Aug 30, 2013 09:47am
@Jamshed:
Extremely informative post, thank you
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Aug 30, 2013 10:30am
There are so much of expert comments from our own experts from within the country and abroad. Would the government benefit from their expertise? Very unlikely. If this can not be done, it is better to contract the exploration work to foreign companies, like Arabs countries, which would bring alteat some relief and the employment oppertunities to the people. The foreign companies would be more than happy accomodate our expert in their projects.
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Aug 30, 2013 12:29pm
@ Shabbir Chandia:
Ffracking may be everything, but it is certainly not a environment friendly technology.
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Aug 30, 2013 12:35pm
The government of Pakistan first need to control corruption before going ahead for any major projects.
Also, Shale Gas exploration caused tremors in UK, the country far from Ring of Fire whereas Pakistan is geographically located where natural earthquakes are common and will this be a safe option?
I can understand the country is so desperate to solve the energy crises that they will go for any option but this one needs to be handled carefully.
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Aug 30, 2013 02:25pm
thanks to almighty Allah for such huge reserves bur without uncapping it is like making castles in air.
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Aug 30, 2013 06:26pm
Nigeria has major oil reserves as well that didn't bring about any prosperity to that country. Arab countries have massive amounts of oil and what did they do with that fund extremism and made their country a huge shopping mall for Western companies to sell their garbage. From the immortal Deserted Village:
Teach erring man to spurn the rage of gain;
Teach him that states of native strength possessed,
Though very poor, may still be very blest;
That trade's proud empire hastes to swift decay,
As ocean sweeps the laboured mole away;
While self-dependent power can time defy,
As rocks resist the billows and the sky
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Aug 30, 2013 06:50pm
@Jamshed:
Thank you for your professional explanations. With corruption and mismanagement governing Pakistan, fracking can be a real disaster for a lot of Pakistanis.
Let us concentrate on more advanced and environmental alternatives like solar energy.
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Aug 30, 2013 10:05pm
Pakistan has water powered cars made by Engineer Agha Waqar it does not need any shale gas.
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Aug 30, 2013 11:53pm
No need to scare anyone with the postulate of fresh water loss.
A suitable well casing can handle the fact .
Pakistan ranked 21st in world for natural gas resources.
The 85% of production is from sindh n blochistan,
but even people's of SUI area have never used gas bcuz it isnt provided to them. And the other resources are from qadirpur, Mari gas field, saawan and sinjhoro... internal war over the use of resources...natural gas resources are much more then our thoughts but due to demand and supply theorem we are facing load shedding gas .. And... the policies of foreign investors are hard to cope with...
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Aug 31, 2013 01:05am
What the government of Pakistan has to say about this, or first they would work to ensure as how to take / make commission and then once that part is settled then talk about the plans to start the works.
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