Shale Fracturing

Shale Fracturing
Andre Willers
28 Oct 2010

Update to Makgadigadi Sea
(Magadigadi , Makgadigadi , Makgadikgadi , Magadikgadi )

Synopsis:
New technology involving horizontal drilling and high-pressure water-gels fractures shales to extract significant volumes of hydrocarbon gases .

Discussion:
Karoo areas around Prince Albert are already being developed PetroSA in conjunction with some American firms . Google "whitehill shale fracturing"

This falls within the southern edges of the endorheic basin roughly bounded by Prieska-VictoriaWest-Sutherland .
See http://andreswhy.blogspot.com "Makgadikgadi Sea:

Gas reserves in the order of 30 trillion cubic meters are estimated over the region . Enough for Southern Africa's energy needs for the next 100 years .
Google "shale fracturing"

The technology :
A mixture of nano- and micro-gels . These are pumped into the shale formation under very high pressure via horizontal boreholes . This fractures the shale . The water is withdrawn , leaving the micro-nano elements remaining to prop open the fracture , allowing the gases to collect at a central point .

About 70% of the water can be reused , but the rest must go into the aquifers .

Some effects:

1.Restocking aquifers
This has the unintentional effect of restocking deep aquifers , not only in the Karoo but elsewhere in the world . (This is already being used on large scale in US , EU ,Russia , probably China . ) It is easy and cheap . The whole process is driven by recovered gas . Water can be obtained by desalination , using same gas supplies .
Will have a major effect on agriculture , especially American Mid-West and West (Oglalla acquifer)
This will probably be the major effect of this boom .

2.Earthquakes.
Rehydration can activate dormant faults , as the water lubricates . The present shale-fracturing in the New York area might have some interesting consequences vis-à-vis the Ramapo Fault .

3.Legal .
Who owns the water in the acquifers that seeps in from these activities ?
Lawayers will have a field day .

4.Money.
Tons and tons of it .
The usual squabbling .

5.Strategic.
The importance of oil-reserves will decrease .

Epitaph on a tombstone :
"I expected this , but not so soon."

Andre