Shale gas

After the United States and Argentina, Total is consolidating positions worldwide.

A partner of Chesapeake, a global leader in the field, Total is a major shale gas player in the United States. Besides, the Group has stakes in Argentina and has just set up in China and Australia.

In the United States

Total has teamed up with Chesapeake, the most active driller in the United States, with some 11,000 wells in 20 years. Chesapeake is also the United States’ second-largest producer of natural gas and the world’s leading producer of shale gas. Chesapeake is the most active operator in the four major shale gas plays in the United States (the Barnett, Haynesville, Fayetteville and Marcellus shales).

 

map of Texas where Total is already a major player in shale gas

 

The Barnett Shale in Figures

The Barnett Shale is the largest shale gas play in the United States:

  • 12,950 square kilometers.
  • Thousands of producing wells.
  • 140 billion cubic meters of gas produced to date.
  • 140,000 cubic meters of gas per day, nearly 8% of total U.S. gas production and about 35% of the country’s shale gas production.

 

In Argentina

In January 2011, Total acquired interests in four exploration licenses in the Neuquén basin, including two as operator, in partnership with YPF. The move brought Total’s stakes in this sector to eight exploration licenses, with operatorship of six of them. These licenses cover an aggregate area of 1,548 square kilometers. In Argentina, licenses are granted for a period of six years. The exploration phase began with geological and seismic surveys, with the first exploration wells planned for 2011.

 

Total is the second-largest gas operator in Argentina.

 

Map of Argentina where Total holds several exploration permits

 

In China

Total and Sinopec signed an agreement to explore for and produce shale gas in China in March 2012. Total and our partners will hold a 49% interest in the joint venture.

 

In Autralia

Total and Central Petroleum signed a farm-in agreement covering four exploration licenses (three in Queensland and one in the Northern Territory) in November 2012.Total has the option of increasing its interest in the four licenses to 68%.

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