The Jakarta Globe: Shale Gas Still a Distant Ambition for Indonesia

The so-called shale gas revolution in North America has had a game-changing impact on the world’s energy situation, flooding the market with supplies and driving prices down.

But in Indonesia, the benefits still remain to be seen.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry may claim the country’s abundant shale gas reserves are ripe for exploitation, but the fact remains that it could take years, even decades, before it generates significant benefits for the country.

Shales is fine-grained sedimentary rock that can contain natural gas and petroleum embedded between its layers. After drilling into shale, water is pumped in and the ensuing pressure forces hydrocarbon particles to be released and collected for processing and refinement.

The energy ministry estimates that Indonesia holds some 574 trillion cubic feet (16.3 trillion cubic meters) of shale gas potential reserves. MORE