Shale Gas in Western Ukraine: Perspectives, Resources, Environmental and Technogenic Risk of Production

Abstract

Geological formation factors of non-convectional gas accumulations on the example of Silurian deposits within the Olesk section of Volyn-Podil oil and gas region in the West of Ukraine are studied, their resources are estimated, prospects for industrial production of shale gas are determined, and potential environmental and technogenic risks due to the development of predicted fields are outlined. The research was carried out on the basis of structural, tectonic, lithological, hydrogeological and own field and laboratory geochemical studies using analogy method of the Silurian base geological and geochemical parameters in Ukraine with the corresponding parameters of the same-age formations in Poland. To assess the resource base of shale gas within the Western Ukraine , gas generation potential of Silurian volume clay rocks and genetic method is defined, the maps of the weighted average of geochemical parameters and thicknesses gas generation deposits allocated to the same type of area calculation with similar rock facies, close catagenetic loss of transformation of organic matter and total thickness gas generator rocks, determined the specific gravity of hydrocarbon generation at the measurement sites and calculated ratios catagenetic losses of organic matter and generating gaseous hydrocarbons. Threats to the impact of shale gas production on environmental and civil security were assessed by studying the regional natural features, its environmental capacity to hydrocarbon pollution, and modern technology for shale gas production by hydraulic fracturing of the layer (fracking). The results of geological studies are compared with the risks to the environmental and technological security in the region and the inexpediency of extracting shale gas from the subsoil of Western Ukraine using modern technologies is justified.