Shalegas- challenges and opportunities in Indian context
Student name: Mr Himanshu Sharma
Guide: Dr Kaushik Ranjan Bandyopadhyay
Year of completion: 2012
Host Organisation: TERI University
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr Subir Sen
Abstract: This report provided a comprehensive analysis of challenges and opportunities for developing shale gas in
Indian context. The report analyzed best practices for shale gas exploration and did a stakeholder analysis.
India has 8 shale gas basins with huge potential and the government is expected to launch its regulatory policy
for shale gas exploration by end of fiscal year 2013.In view of this, the study deserves all the more importance
and is highly contextual.
Part I of this report gave background information on shale gas, how it differs from conventional energy
resources; its abundance in world market today; its benefits and its negative environmental impacts mainly
associated with hydraulic fracturing technology. This part also highlighted the acute demand-supply gap for
energy resources in India and stressed the need for developing shale gas domestically. In Part II, SWOT
analysis of shale gas industry in Indian context was done. This highlighted the needs and opportunities that exist
for shale gas development in India. This also highlighted the controversial water and land intensive nature of
hydraulic fracturing technology. Following the findings from SWOT analysis, a detailed two way solution for
minimizing and countering the threats and weaknesses was also suggested. One is the technical solution
comprising of best practices, and other is stakeholder analysis and engagement, a must for controversial
industrial project in a democratic country like India.
This report concluded that India should take local factors into consideration before going for shale gas
exploration. Transparency and trust with stakeholders are a must in addition to full monitoring of
environmental impacts associated with shale gas production. India could become one of the leading producers
of shale gas in world in time to cone if best industry practices are followed but it will take time to fructify this
dream as we need time to build industry.
Keywords: Shale gas, hydraulic fracturing, environmental, Exploration, Energy security, Water, Methane,
Greenhouse gases, Natural gas.
