Unconventional hydrocarbon resources in China and the prospect of exploration and development

Based on analysis of the characteristics of unconventional hydrocarbon resources, this paper assesses the potential for unconventional hydrocarbons in China, summarizes the key technical progress in exploration and development, and discusses the prospects and developing strategies of unconventional hydrocarbons. The resources of unconventional oil and gas in China are abundant. The recoverable tight gas ranges from 8.8×1012 m3 to 12.1×1012 m3, the recoverable shale gas is from 15×1012 m3 to 25×1012 m3, the recoverable coalbed methane 10.9×1012 m3, the recoverable tight oil from 13×108 t to 14×108 t, and the recoverable shale oil 160×108 t. There is also some resource potential for oil sand. Such key techniques as the full-digital seismic exploration, low permeability and low resistivity reservoirs identification have been developed and their applications in oil and gas fields have achieved good results. Tight gas and tight oil are the most realistic resources to develop in China and the development and utilization of coalbed methane and shale gas are at a pioneer stage. In the next ten or twenty years, the production of unconventional hydrocarbon in China will increase considerably and play a major role in national hydrocarbon resources.