According to forecasts of the International Energy Agency, in the next decade, Russia may lose its status as a leader in the global gas market. Such an outcome is likely if China, Mexico, Argentina and a number of other states follow the example of the United States and begin gas production from unconventional sources.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) released a report entitled The Golden Rules for the Golden Age of Gas, where agency experts formulated the basic rules for gas production from unconventional sources such as shale gas, hard-to-reach gas and coal seam gas. Compliance with these rules mainly comes down to strict adherence to environmental laws. Unquestioning compliance with these rules will allow the next decade to begin large-scale gas production in many countries where there are large reserves of it in unconventional sources: China, Argentina, Mexico, Australia and other countries. Thus, by 2035, Russia may finally lose its leadership in the global gas market, but at the same time remain a major supplier.
To slow down the transition to gas production from unconventional sources can environmental requirements, which in many countries are quite stringent. In addition, the cost of producing such gas is still high. For comparison, the cost of gas production in Western Siberia is $ 2 per MBtu, the cost of shale gas production in the USA and China is $ 3-7, and in Europe is $ 5-10.
Already, environmentalists in the US are opposed to gas exports. In their opinion, this goal is not worth the damage that shale gas production can cause to the environment. The innovations are also not encouraging for consumers who are already used to low gas prices.
According to experts, the United States really shows impressive results in gas production from unconventional sources. But not all countries can follow the example of the United States. Not everywhere the same soft environmental legislation applies, there is a suitable relief, geology and population density.
