The unconventional natural gas resources and exploitation technologies in China

The abundant unconventional natural gas resources,if exploited reasonably and efficiently,will provide stable energy supply for the sustainable development of Chinese economy.In China,the prospective reserves of condense sandstone gas resources is estimated to be more than 12 tcm and some progress has been made in its commercial production;breakthrough has been made in the high-rank coal of coalbed methane exploration;the study of shale gas has just started,and good conditions have been found in the Sichuan,Tarim,and Ordos basins for both pooling and exploitation of shale gas;many evidences of methane gas hydrate have been found in the South Sea of China.However,due to the complexity and the specific characteristics of geological conditions,some technologies of exploration and exploitation can not meet the needs for the recovery or commercial production of the unconventional natural gas resources.Therefore,this paper presents some suggestions:①to research into and develop various technologies of exploiting different types of condense sandstone gas reservoirs;②to optimize the favorable blocks for the coalbed methane and enlarge its scale of exploration and development;③to research into and develop high and efficient exploration and exploitation technologies for high coal rank coalbed gas fields;④to survey the distribution of shale gas resources and identify the main controlling factors of shale gas pooling;⑤to make assessment on methane gas hydrate resources.