How is conventional gas produced

Both refer to some quantity of fossil fuels that could contribute to a reserve if they could be extracted economically. The distinction between a resource and reserve is explored with a diagram known as a McKelvey box.

The difference between conventional and unconventional is relatively straightforward, and has to do mostly with the ease the fuels can be extracted with. Conventional oil or gas comes from formations that are "normal" or straightforward to extract product from. Extracting fossil fuels from these geological formations can be done with standard methods that can be used to economically remove the fuel from the deposit.

Conventional resources tend to be easier and less expensive to produce simply because they require no specialized technologies and can utilize common methods. Figure 1. Bitumen soaked sandstone. Figure 2. Oil shale. In contrast to this, unconventional oil or gas resources are much more difficult to extract.

Some of these resources are trapped in reservoirs with poor permeability and porosity , meaning that it is extremely difficult or impossible for oil or natural gas to flow through the pores and into a standard well. For example, the extraction of shale oil , tight gas , and shale gas must include a hydraulic fracturing step in order to create cracks for the oil or gas to flow through.

This natural gas is easy to produce using traditional drilling methods. Most conventional reserves in Canada have been extensively developed. Unconventional natural gas is found in tight non-porous rock formations, such as shale. These resources are recovered through a combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing.

Another benefit is the ability to drill multiple wells from the same well pad on the surface, allowing for greater resource recovery on a reduced land footprint. Where is Natural Gas Found in Canada? Learn More. Did You Know? For example, natural gas for transmission companies must meet certain pipeline quality specifications with respect to water content, hydrocarbon dew point, heating value, and hydrogen-sulfide content. To learn more, see natural gas production data and analyses from the Energy Information Administration.

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