US to Study Pakistani Shale Gas

Pakistan has sent samples of shale gas to the United States to determine the prospects of reserves, Express Tribune newspaper reported Friday.

“Some samples have been sent to the US and research work will be completed in one year,” an official said.

At present, Pakistan is conducting a study with the technical assistance of US Agency for International Development to prove the presence of shale gas deposits in the country.

According to Express Tribune, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources has sent a summary to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet, seeking the go-ahead for initiating a pilot project to search and consume the shale gas potential.

Pakistan will offer $12 per million British thermal units (mmbtu) to gas exploration and production companies under the pilot programme, a price that is close to the cost of gas to be imported from Iran under the Iran-Pakistan pipeline project, the newspaper said citing officials.

According to the official, exploration companies have already found some traces of shale gas during the search for conventional gas as 10% to 12% of shale gas appears on upper faces of conventional gas.