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INDIA/ENERGY/GV - Shale Gas: An ess ential part of India’s plan for energy independence

Released on 2012-10-18 17:00 GMT

Email-ID 2309633
Date 2010-11-17 18:38:56
Shale Gas: An essential part of India's plan for energy independence


Shale gas, which is natural gas produced from shale formations, has become
an increasingly important component of the natural gas supply in the
United States. Although those in the industry have known about the
abundance of shale gas for some time, it was not considered to be a viable
resource until recently. Two factors have contributed to its recent rise
to prominence in the United States. First, advances in horizontal
drilling techniques and hydraulic fracturing have made shale reserves more
accessible. Second, the increase in the price of natural gas due to
supply and demand pressures has improved the economics of drilling for
this unconventional resource.

Among other countries, India too has turned its attention to the
development of indigenous shale resources. Indian shale deposits appear
to be abundant and are found in, among other areas, Assam, Rajasthan, as
well as several coastal regions. P.K. Bhowmick, president of the
country's Association of Petroleum Geologists, estimates that India's
shale gas reserves are potentially larger than its proven conventional
resources. As demand for cleaner energy sources rises, demand for natural
gas in India could rise to 120 billion cubic meters a year by 2015 from 62
billion currently. In addition, the Paris-based International Energy
Agency estimates that India is expected to face a general energy shortfall
of 55 percent by 2030 as demand more than doubles to 1.3 billion metric
tons of oil. In the midst of such dire predictions, India's interest in
the exploration and development of its abundant shale resources is a
timely step in the right direction. As demonstrated in the United States,
tapping into shale gas can help India turn around its natural gas industry
and reduce the energy gap.

While Indian shale resources are plentiful, India currently lacks the
technological know-how when it comes to the development of shale gas
resources. However, during President Barack Obama's recent visit, India
and the United States signed an agreement for cooperation with respect to
shale gas technology. In addition to providing India with technological
expertise, the United States will also help India in assessing its shale
gas resources and framing regulations for the implementation of India's
proposed shale gas exploration program. India is currently looking to
launch its first shale gas auction at the end of 2011. However, access to
technology is only the first step as India seeks to become a major player
in the shale gas arena. In addition to using US technology to develop its
field resources, India also needs to develop a comprehensive set of rules
and regulations to govern the development of its domestic shale resources.

Such rules and regulations can be divided into three categories. First,
India needs to change its exploration laws to allow for the production of
shale gas because current exploration licenses do not include production
from unconventional resources. Second, India must develop a comprehensive
set of rules with respect to the leasing and acquisition of land for the
exploration and production of shale gas. Many industrial projects in the
country have been sidelined due to tensions between local populations and
developers. If the development of shale gas is to commence without major
impediment, it is paramount that rules that are fair to the local
population be implemented. In this regard, the Indian government is in
the process of formulating a policy that would provide states with a share
of the profit earned by exploration companies. While administratively
this policy is intended to incentivize states to support shale gas
exploration and development, it is critical that states use the money to
invest into the local economy and help reduce any friction energy
companies may face when it comes to the local population. Third, India
needs to formulate a set of environmental rules and regulations to govern
the exploration and production of shale gas. Among other things,
environmentalists have raised concerns that improper drilling may
contaminate ground water. It is therefore best to provide energy
companies with proper guidelines at the outset; otherwise, problems in the
future could impede development efforts.

While the rules and regulations enumerated above are critical to the
proper development of this new source of energy, the government must
ensure that India's new shale gas policy does not unreasonably burden the
industry and make shale gas an uneconomic option to fuel India's continued
growth and development. China too is working on developing its own shale
resources and as both countries race to secure energy assets, it is
critical that India not lose any potential competitive advantage. As
India moves towards an open acreage licensing policy, which provides
energy companies more freedom to choose exploration areas, it is
unquestionable that the government does recognize the urgency of the
situation. In the words of S.K. Srivastava, Director General of the
Directorate of Hydrocarbons, "[w]e have to run now, we can't just