The Carboniferous shales of the Midland Valley of

The Carboniferous shales of the Midland Valley of Scotland: geology and resource estimation Mike Stephenson (BGS) Director of Science and Technology Presenting on behalf of the BGS-DECC team

Area studied

Area has a proven hydrocarbon system

How BGS calculated the shale resource in the Midland Valley of Scotland • Wells (oil/gas and other types) to identify the tops and bottoms of the main shale-bearing intervals • Seismic sections to map rock layers in subsurface • 3 D computer model to estimate the volume of shale • Studies of the burial and uplift history & of the organic content of the shale to narrow down the layers and areas that might yield hydrocarbons

Wells/boreholes studied

Area prospective for shale oil

Area prospective for shale gas

Estimate of oil in-place • 3. 2 – 11. 2 billion barrels (421 – 1, 497 million tonnes) and a reasonable central estimate is 6. 0 billion barrels of oil (793 million tonnes) • This is an in-place resource (oil in the rocks) not a reserve (what might be produced) • Drilling and testing of new wells is required to assess the feasibility of production

Estimate of gas in-place • 49. 4 – 134. 6 trillion cubic feet (1. 40 – 3. 81 trillion cubic metres) and a reasonable central estimate is 80. 3 trillion cubic feet of gas (2. 27 trillion cubic metres) • This is an in-place resource (gas in the rocks) not a reserve (what might be produced) • Drilling and testing of new wells is required to assess the feasibility of production

Where to get more information www. gov. uk/oil-and-gas-onshoreexploration-and-production www. bgs. ac. uk/shalegas

Slides if needed for questions

Bowland-Hodder 822 – 1, 329 – 2, 281 tcf gas Weald 2. 2 – 4. 4 – 8. 6 billion bbl oil Midland Valley of Scotland 49. 4 – 80. 3 – 134. 6 tcf gas 3. 2 – 6. 0 – 11. 2 billion bbl oil

Historical oil-shale mines Location of historical shale mines from http: //www. scottishshale. co. uk/Gaz. Mines/Mine. Maps/AAMines. Field. html

Area prospective for shale oil

Area prospective for shale gas