Opportunities in Chemical Engineering Being Created by New US Shale Gas Supplies

Recent technical breakthroughs in extraction techniques have allowed the combination of hydraulic fracturing with long horizontal wells to enable the release of unconventional hydrocarbon sources. The ability to tap into these previously unreachable shale gas resources has completely transformed the US natural gas and crude oil supply and demand outlook. These recent technology breakthroughs have resulted in natural gas production in the United States increasing by 25% over the last 5 years, largely due to shale gas production. New US natural gas supplies are playing a key role in “turbocharging” US manufacturing over the next 10 to 20 years, creating an industrial renaissance. This paper summarizes potential opportunities in chemical engineering that could arise as a result of new shale gas production.