Shale Gas

Shale gas IS natural gas. Calling it shale gas is just pointing out it came from a shale formation. According to Wikipedia, shale gas was already 20% of the US production of natural gas as of 2010.

The use of natural gas is supposedly 'greener' than oil (or coal) due to lower amounts of CO2 emitted when it's burned.

shale gas isn't new, it's been a known commodity for decades. the issue was how to get at it in a cost effective manner. recent advances in drilling techniques have made extraction a reality. so you're seeing it NOW, and you will continue to as the industry works through growing pains associated with environmental concerns

Yes, with the noted exceptions. Cost to produce vs sales price. Who knows?

Natural gas is projected to remain lower in price than coal for several years. It also is cheaper to use in a power plant. Less handling, and fewer employees involved. It is quicker to turn on and off than coal also.

Shale gas is just another form of natual gas, and will not replace any other form of natual gas, except if it is cheaper, or closer to the market. Biogas, offshore gas, conventional gas, coal seam gas, methane hydrates etc. are all sources of natural gas.

Mankind has flared historically flared off enough natural gas to run the world for quite awhile. It has been flared as waste because the oil is what was desired. Natural gas will not replace any other form of energy. It will moderate the price of gasoline and diesel, but will not replace them. It will hopefully replace most coal, but coal will remain as the fossil fuel of last resort. LNG and CNG will be low priced all over the world within twenty years. Right now America and Canada have the lowest prices.

Any engine of any size can be run on natural gas. Large ships engines can run on LNG and a little diesel or all diesel if no LNG is available. Fracking rig engines are being converted to run the same way.

Natural gas from trash dumps is being used to fuel rubbish trucks. Shell is making jet engine fuel from it in Qatar. A similar plant is planned for Louisiana. Boeing has plans for an LNG passenger plane in the future.

Coal is a very dirty fuel, especially burned in old plants without good scrubbers etc. One of the greatest things about natural gas is that it is the cleanest of the fossil fuels. It will be amazing to see the growth of natural gas use around the world. Offshore finds are numerous,as are shale finds.

I blog on all this on ronwagnersrants.blogspot.com 4,400 links to selected natural gas stories.

No I am not anonymous, and did not plant this question.

Change-overs at electric utility plants take several years. For example, right now, Florida Power and Light are converting at least one plant. On the other hand, currently we have seen a big drop in natgas prices as the time for extraction increases out pace the conversions. Currently we are net EXPORTERS of LPG. Long haul truckers are slowly also converting as the costs to operate LPG are lower than diesel. But building the refueling stations and engine conversions take time. Cars are a bigger problem as the gasoline infrastructure is so vast, and LPG tankage is heavy.

Prices of gasoline and diesel don't closely correlate with LPG/Natgas too well. Partly as current imported prices fairly closely follow the dollar exchange rate and respond to political risks abroad. And local LPG/Natgas prices are much less affected by these influences.

As rapid further exploitation of Natgas resources in many parts of the world are pressuring prices, the rapid expansion of use in India/China/ Africa of all energy sources are continuing.

I like your analysis. My information is mostly from journalists and other bloggers. I am not in the trenches. I found this article, that explains some things about fuel switching:

http://www.rbnenergy.com/switching-on-a-dime-how-power-burn-is-driven-by-plant-fuel-costs

You are right about the fuels not showing any definitive correlation. I am looking long term. Natural gas blogging has become a hobby in my retirement, since I see so much promise in the technology. I plan on following it closely the next twenty years, if I live that long. Part of my motive is displacing dirty coal plants worldwide. The other is to help natural gas become a strong competitor with gasoline and diesel as a fuel for all kinds of engines. It has the most promise in the largest engines, for ships, drilling rigs, trucks, locomotives, aircraft, etc. It can save more money for the biggest fuel burners. I expect CNG trucks, pickups, vans, and large SUVs to catch on first.

Wuchai in China just came out with eight new CNG or LNG truck engines.