The relationship between shale gas development and budgetary and microeconomic externalities was studied. The extraction activity in the Barnett shaleformation provided a case study for assessing per-well highway infrastructure damage and water usage. The creation of a predictive model based upon the Barnett was applied to the Marcellus formation. The results showed support for the hypothesis that shale gas development creates negative externalities that amount to unfunded mandates and freerider problems for states and localities. Implications and policy solutions, including the case for a Pennsylvania natural gas fund, are discussed. / McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts; / Graduate Center for Social and Public Policy / MA; / Thesis;

methane and other higher order hydrocarbons, through C4, with interest in further developing reactions important to methane- and ethane-related chemistry. With the increased demand for energy and the declining conventional hydrocarbons worldwide, energy companies, both majors and independents, are turning to unconventional resources to produce the hydrocarbons required to meet market demand. From coalbed methane to low permeability (tight) gas reservoirs and gas shales, energy companies are making substantial progress in developing the technologies required to bring these unconventional reserves to the market. A common misconception is that there are not enough domestic oil and gas reserves to fuel our economy. The United States imports most of the oil used for transportation fuel and several TCF of natural gas annually. However, there is a very large resource of natural gas in unconventional reservoirs, with over 2,200 TCF of gas in place in just the gas shale formations that have been identified in the energy arena (Navigant Study 2008). There are still major gas shale plays and basins that have not been explored and are waiting to be evaluated and developed. The natural gas in shales and other unconventional reservoirs can be used to generate electricity, or it can be turned into liquids and used by the transportation industry. It is also misconstrued that gas shales are relatively new in our industry and something of the future. The first commercially viable gas shale well was drilled in the early 1920s in Pennsylvania, before the famous oil well drilled by Colonel Drake. The objectives of this study are to (1) complete literature review to establish which geologic parameters affect completion techniques in five emerging gas shales: the Antrium, the Barnett, the Haynesville, the Marcellus, and the Woodford; (2) identify the different completion methods; (3) create an economic model for the completion techniques discussed; (4) develop a sensitivity analysis on various economic parameters to determine optimal completion strategy; and (5) create completion flowcharts. Based on the literature review I have done for several gas shale basins, I have identified seven pertinent geologic parameters that influence completion practices. These are depositional environment, total organic content (TOC), average gas content, shale mineralogy, shale thickness, and reservoir pressure. Next, I identified different completion and simulation trends in the industry for the different shale plays. The results from this study show that although there are some stark differences between depths (i.e. the Antrim Shale and the Haynesville Shale), shale plays are very similar in all other geologic properties. Interestingly, even with a large range for the different geological parameters, the completion methods did not drastically differ indicating that even if the properties do not fall within the range presented in this paper does not automatically rule them out for further evaluation in other plays. In addition to the evaluation of geologic properties, this study looked at drilling cost and the production profile for each play. Due to the volatility of the energy industry, economic sensitivity was completed on the price, capital, and operating cost to see what affect it would have on the play. From the analysis done, it is concluded that horizontal drilling in almost any economic environment is economic except for one scenario for the Woodford Shale. Therefore, gas shales plays should still be invested in even in lower price environments and companies should try to take advantage of the lower cost environments that occur during these times. With continual development of new drilling and completion techniques, these plays will become more competitive and can light the path for exploration of new shale plays worldwide.

Reproduction de : Thèse de doctorat : Etudes anglophones : Lyon 2 : 2006. / Titre provenant de l'écran-titre. Bibliogr. Index.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pennsylvania State University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [202]-219)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2003. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains v, 298 p. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 286-298).

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Frequently a discrepancy is found between the stimulated shale volume (SSV) estimated from production data and the SSV expected from injected water and proppant volume. One possible explanation is the presence of a fracture network, often termed fracture complexity, that may have been opened or reopened during the hydraulic fracturing operation. The main objective of this work is to investigate the role of fracture complexity in resolving the apparent SSV discrepancy and to illustrate whether the presence of reopened natural fracture network can be observed in pressure and production data of shale gas wells producing from two shale formations with different well and reservoir properties. Homogeneous, dual porosity and triple porosity models are investigated. Sensitivity runs based on typical parameters of the Barnett and the Horn River shale are performed. Then the field data from the two shales are matched. Homogeneous models for the two shale formations indicate effective infinite conductivity fractures in the Barnett well and only moderate conductivity fractures in the Horn River shale. Dual porosity models can support effectively infinite conductivity fractures in both shale formations. Dual porosity models indicate that the behavior of the Barnett and Horn River shale formations are different. Even though both shales exhibit apparent bilinear flow behavior the flow behaviors during this trend are different. Evidence of this difference comes from comparing the storativity ratio observed in each case to the storativity ratio estimated from injected fluid volumes during hydraulic fracturing. In the Barnett shale case similar storativity ratios suggest fracture complexity can account for the dual porosity behavior. In the Horn River case, the model based storativity ratio is too large to represent only fluids from hydraulic fracturing and suggests presence of existing shale formation microfractures.

Master of Visual Arts / The title Normal What refers to a group of paintings that emerged from my Masters of Visual Arts 2004/05 studio project. Individual paintings are chronological self portrait reflecting upon my own experiences and those in the wider community who at some point in their lives have had to endure the struggles, and negative stigma that is so often attached to those who have become marginalised and detached from mainstream society. People found in this category include the disabled, homeless, unemployed, and those with addiction problems. Each painting bears a close connection with techniques associated with abstract expressionist painting. This radiates through the vast expanse of drips, stains and explosions which appear to suffocate the paintings delicate monochrome surface. Strong references to Kristeva’s theory on Abjection arrive through the aggressive and violent outbursts of paint that evoke an atmosphere of symbolic horror, personal dysfunction and social oppression. This emerges out of the shadows and private spaces of the painting’s domestic interior. Deep emotional, psychological, sociological sensitivities are raised throughout my studio practice. Combined with a series of unresolved tensions, and questions surrounding normality run deep a consequence of society’s push for normality are being felt most acutely by those effected by this form of sociology. The ideas raised through my studio project had a profound influence on the research being conducted for the dissertation. Kristeva’s theory on Abjection, along side the practices of Eva Hesse, Barnett Newman, Agnes Martin emerged from a group of highly emotional abstract paintings. This strengthened the connection between the studio project and the dissertation. Aimed at deepening a personal understanding an commitment to researching the subject of normality and how it could be successfully articulated through a visual narrative.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Bowling Green State University, 2005. / Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 214 p. Includes bibliographical references.