Paper Summary

n the last decade and more, shale gas resources have emerged as a viable energy source. This became possible after the Mississippian Barnett Shale in the Fort Worth Basin was successfully developed with the application of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. Logically, geoscientists began to look for other shale basins in the US and soon the Devonian Antrim shale of the Michigan Basin, the Devonian Marcellus Shale of the Appalachian Basin, the Devonian New Albany Shale in the Illinois Basin and the Cretaceous Lewis Shale in San Juan Basin were explored and developed. Following these, the Fayetteville Shale in Arkansas, the Woodford Shale in Oklahoma, the Muskwa Shale in the Horn River Basin, and the Montney Shale, both in British Columbia, Canada, the Haynesville Shale in northwest Louisiana and east Texas, and the Eagle Ford Shale in south Texas were developed.