Global Unconventional Hydrocarbon Resources

Algeria, Potential & Strategy and Policy to Exploration and Development

By: Brahim MERAH, Senior Reservoir Geologist Sonahess, VP of AND-INH and Mabrouk BENMAMMERI President of AND-INH

Abstract
Unconventional hydrocarbons resources have changing the global energy landscape. They have been
the biggest breakthrough in the oil and gas industry over the past decade, by the large and quick
exploitation of the shale oil and gas in the USA which showed at which point the new technology
could modify the economic and industrial environment. As the best example of natural gas world
market the shale gas boom, that has been called a game Changer in the USA, where impressive
and very good results in terms of gas production are given, and on the American market, the price of
the MBTU (One million British Thermal Unit), which had exceeded 14 dollars in 2008, fell gradually to
be situated between 2, 5 and 3 dollars these last weeks of July, 2012.
The experts say that the world has found abundant resources with tremendous international
potential that can offer competitive economics, supply security with opportunities and challenges.
This presentation purports to make a global review on the Unconventional hydrocarbons reservoirs.
Its speaks about the kind of natural resources energy that are being focused by the geoscientists and
the energy strategists as an alternative to the already declining source of fossil fuel. However are
called that because, in order to economically access and produce these hydrocarbons
Unconventional methods are required to stimulate and produce the reservoir, therefore presents a
very considerable technological different and complicated challenge to those used for the
conventional reservoir.
The first part of presentation will be based on an overview which will include short definitions of
unconventional hydrocarbons types, and then it will show the efforts made by different governments
around the world in order to progress, to develop and to assess their potential in this kind of energy.
Further, in the coming decades, production from unconventional oil and gas reservoirs will become
even more important all over the world when conventional oil production begins to decline.
The second point consists to give a general overview of the Algeria potential in the unconventional
hydrocarbons resources. That concerns the significant potential of shale oil and gas seems to exist
both in the south and north Algeria.
The last points told about some thoughts in terms of policy and strategy needs to develop this
domain in Algeria, this requires an improved fundamental understanding and assessment for
effective reserves, in this way.
Is it necessary to be afraid of the exploration and development of shale Oil and Gas in Algeria? And
what are we going to do to make it attractive to investors or partnership?
For Sonatrach these questions and others are of high importance in order to replace or to increase
their conventional reserves, the development of Unconventional reservoirs becomes more and more
important even inevitable. So as to raise this challenges, a new Exploitation strategy model is
needed, which requires a new mindset based on a new approach that adapts a new balance between
technology, environment and economics, different from that used for conventional reservoir case.

Rsume
Depuis quelques annes, le dveloppement rapide en Amrique du Nord de lexploitation des
Hydrocarbures dits non conventionnels a chang le paysage de lindustrie nergtique travers le
monde. A titre dexemple, la perce amricaine dans la production du gaz naturel a partir des roches
argileuses (shale gas) a boulevers le march mondial du gaz naturel, et sur le march amricain, le
prix du MBTU (Million British Thermal Unit), qui avait dpass les 14 dollars en 2008, a chut
progressivement pour se situer entre 2,5 et 3 dollars a la fin du mois de juillet 2012.
Cette exploitation grande chelle du gaz de schiste aux USA a montr quel point la technologie
moderne pouvait modifier la donne conomique et industrielle dans le monde.
Cette prsentation est une contribution scientifique pour enrichir le dbat actuel en Algrie, sur
lintrt et les opportunits techniques et conomiques de lexploitation de ce type de ressources.
Sous ce terme gnral, on regroupe plusieurs types dhydrocarbures comme les huiles lourdes, les
schistes bitumineux, les huiles de schiste, tight gaz , les gaz de schiste et les gaz de houille CBM.
Leur point commun rside dans la ncessit de stimuler la roche pour obtenir une production
commerciale, et ce grce aux innovations technologiques trs avances dans le domaine.
Lexpos sarticule autour de trois thmes principaux : Il sagit tout dabord dintroduire dune faon
gnrale la notion des hydrocarbures non conventionnels. La deuxime partie parle de lexprience
amricaine dans le dveloppement des Gaz de Schistes. Enfin, le dernier thme est consacr
lAlgrie, o les enjeux technologiques, et conomiques sont levs, et surtout avec le potentiel
norme, que notre sous-sol recel en termes dhuiles et de gaz de Schiste.
Les efforts de la Sonatrach ce stade prcoce doivent ce concentrer sur le choix de la stratgie
approprie, bien rflchie et sans prcipitations a mene, pour relev ce dfi et russir a mettre en
marche un plan daction adquat lexploitation des Hydrocarbures Non Conventionnels en Algrie