Unconventional natural gas resources and the environment
Introduction
Unconventional natural gas is natural gas produced from unconventional reservoirs. Consequently, the environmental impacts of producing and using unconventional natural gas are, for the most part, the same as those for conventional natural gas, as illustrated in the table below.
| Impact | Conventional Natural Gas |
NGC (coalbed methane) | Tight Gas | Shale Gas | Gas Hydrates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air | |||||
| Odors |  |
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| Flaring and venting | |
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| Sulphur dioxide | |
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| Hydrogen sulphide | |
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| Greenhouse gases | |
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| Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) |
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| Land | |||||
| Land use | |
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| Land reclamation | |
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| Cumulative effects | |
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| Waste management | |
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| Wildlife and biodiversity | |
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| Water | |||||
| Water use and quality | |
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| Water disposal | |
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| Spills | |
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This section focuses on potential environmental impacts that are specific to unconventional natural gas. These include:
- Sour gas and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in relation to natural gas from coal (coalbed methane)
- Carbon dioxide-enhanced recovery of NGC (coalbed methane)
- Increased number and density of wells
- Water production associated with dewatering coal seams and shale beds
- Compressor noise associated with NGC (coalbed methane) and under-pressured shales
- Habitat destruction and fragmentation
- Surface subsidence associated with coal mining
- Coal fires associated with NGC (coalbed methane) production
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