Environmental and Economic Significance and Feasibility Analysis of Tight Sand Gas Reservoir in China

Currently, with a sharp increase in demand for natural gas and a strict energy supply circumstances, the development of tight sand gas becomes a pressing need for the rapid development of Chinas society and economy. At the end of 2010, the reserves and annual production of tight sand gas in China accounted for 39.2 percent and 24.6 percent of national natural gas, respectively, and the proportions are expected to increase. Compared with other unconventional gas such as shale gas and coal bed methane, the techniques of tight sand gas are relatively mature and development costs of it are relatively low. So tight sand gas should be considered in priority in the exploration and exploitation of unconventional gas in China. The total reserves of tight sand gas in China are 12 trillion cubic meters. Tight sand gas in China possesses the rich reserves and enormous potential to develop, which can ease the current shortage of energy. Besides, China has mastered a series of key techniques such as the well drilling and completion protection supporting technique; well completion and staged fracturing technique of horizontal well, which guarantees the technical feasibility of the development of tight sand gas reservoirs. From the perspective of market, social and environmental meaning, reserves, technique and economic feasibility, this paper presents a systematical analysis about the importance of developing tight sand gas in China.