Europe's Unconventional Future Depends Upon Adoption of Best Practices

The Atlantic Council argues that Europe's unconventional gas future will depend upon industry adopting best practices similar to those advocated in the U.S.

The Council writes that with growing realization that substantial unconventional gas resources have the potential to play a major role in supplementing conventional gas resources in many countries, it has become important to consider the prospects, challenges and regulations necessary to ensure the safe and environmentally sound development of such resources.

While most of the press discussion has been focused on shale gas reserves, there are also substantial opportunities for exploiting tight sands and coal bed methane throughout Europe.

With the benefit of North American experience, developments in Europe have the potential to move faster. However, the Council states that this potential will only be realized if particular attention is given to the challenges associated with creating the regulatory frameworks that will be necessary to responsibly develop unconventional resources.

Over time, it is expected that the European development of unconventional gas resources, along with the expanded availability of LNG previously destined for the US, will have a significant impact on markets throughout Western, Central and Eastern Europe for a number of decades.

Read: European Unconventional Gas Developments: Environmental Issues and Regulatory Challenges in the EU and U.S., from the Atlantic Council - Click Here to Download this Publication's PDF