Compositional variety complicates processing plans for US shale gas

• Published in: The Oil & gas journal Vol. 107; no. 10; p. 50
• Main Authors: Bullin, Keith A, Krouskop, Peter E
• Format: Magazine Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nashville Endeavor Business Media 09-03-2009
• Subjects: Drilling; Hydrocarbons; Natural gas; Natural gas exploration; Nitrogen; Pipelines; Production planning; Shales; Technology adoption; United States > US
• ISSN: 0030-1388; 1944-9151

Recently higher gas prices and improved drilling technology have spurred shale gas drilling across the US. Some of the more popular areas are the Barnett, Haynesville, and Fayetteville shales in the South and the Marcellus, New Albany, and Antrim shales in the East and Midwest. This article reviews which gas processing technologies are appropriate for the variety of US shale gas qualities being produced and planned to be produced and reviews regional gas processing capacities to handle current and future production of shale gas. The Barnett shale formation is the grandfather of shale gas plays. Much of the technology used in drilling and production of shale gas has been developed on this play. The Haynesville shale play is the newest and hottest shale area to be developed. Area operators suggest designing units that scale up and down easily during growth process. This include units that employ valve trays, variable speed pumps, and multiple trains.