Shale Gas Predicted to Meet Half of N. America's Supply by 2020

The Calgary-based Ziff Energy Group predicts shale and other unconventional sources of natural gas will supply half of North America's market by 2020:

Despite a far-reaching industry downturn, a new report says unconventional natural gas from shale is expected to account for more than half of North America's gas supply by 2020.

According to Calgary-based Ziff Energy Group, unconventional gas production from shale, coal beds and "tight" sandstones will more than double to 46 billion cubic feet (bcf) per day from 21 bcf per day in 2000.

About 16 bcf per day -- more than Alberta's current gas output from all sources--will come from shales in Canada and the United States, where prolific deposits such as the Horn River in northeastern British Columbia are thought to contain trillions of cubic feet of potential resources.

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In its report, Ziff notes that shales in the U. S. currently produce about five billion cubic feet a day, with three-quarters of that originating in the Barnett deposits near Dallas.

- Brewskie