How do they extract gas?

Natural and shale gases arehighly efficient energy carriers. The use of gas fuel allows introducing new efficient methods of heat transfer, forming more efficient and high-efficiency thermal units.

How do they extract gas (natural gas)?

Natural gas is the most efficient, and most importantly, environmentally friendly fuel.

The search for gas deposits begins with the compilation of a geological map, which indicates the structure of the sections of the upper Earth's crust.

Gas-bearing layers are formed from rocks,characterized by its porous structure (sands, porous limestones, etc.). Gas deposits are the concentration of hydrocarbons that fill pores in gas-bearing formations.

Most of the gas deposits are foldsthe crust of the earth, dome-shaped upward. The gas is contained in a dome-shaped layer below the ground. In the form of a cap, the gas is accumulated in the upper horizons of the formation. In the lower horizons there is oil or stratum

water.

If the gas content in the pores is large, then suchdeposits are called deposits. The exploitation of such a field is economically viable and industrial. The thickness of the gas-bearing strata can reach hundreds of meters.

To extract gas from the earth's interior, it is necessary to drill a well, which consists of:

• wellhead (top of well);
• bottomhole.

Drilling a well can be an electric drill that quickly rotates and breaks rocks.

Then, inside the formed well, a column of fountain pipes is lowered, along which the gas moves from the face to the mouth.

Further for gas supply, consumers need to process it. Natural gas processing consists of:

• drying - separation of gas from moisture;
• purification - the release of hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide;
• odorization - smell of gas.

How do they extract shale gas?

Shale gas is considered an artificial gas, which is obtained due to the thermal processing of oil shales in furnaces. Shale gas is characterized by a high content of carbon dioxide.

According to physical properties, purified shale gas practically does not differ from natural gas. Uncleaned shale gas carries a huge amount of impurities, which complicates the process of its processing.

The main way to extract shale gas is hydraulic fracturing. This mining technology causes enormous harm to the environment due to the chemical composition of the drilling mud.

The drilling fluid is introduced into the gas-bearing formation at a high pressure (500-1500 atm.).

After that occurs the formation of cracks in the rockup to 20 m in size. Now the gas can freely flow out through the channel, which was used to inject the solution. These cracks can disappear under the mass of rocks, so these faults are done up to 10 times per year.

Processing of shale gas using technology is no different from processing natural gas.

Disadvantages of shale gas production:

• contamination of groundwater;
• seismic threat;
• soil and surface water pollution;
• emissions into the atmosphere.

Prospects for the extraction of shale gas are very large. At the moment, the feasibility of producing shale gas is a global problem. Whether it is worth to pollute the environment and cause harm to human health for the sake of highly efficient fuel is a rhetorical question.