Governments and businesses using hydraulic fracturing to develop shale gas could face intense water competition in the world’s largest reserves, according to a new report by the World Resources Institute* (WRI). The report is the first publicly available analysis of water availability across all potential commercial shale gas and tight oil resources worldwide.

The report finds 38 percent of the world’s shale resources face high to extremely high water stress or arid conditions. The Global Shale Gas Development report ranks water stress across the 20 countries with the largest shale resources. In 40 percent of these countries, future shale production could happen in arid conditions or under high water stress. The report also evaluates water availability for every shale play in the 11 countries either pursuing or most likely to pursue hydraulic fracturing: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Mexico, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Water availability and shale resources vary from country to country, making hydraulic fracturing’s potential unique in almost every location.

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*World Resources Institute is a global research organization that spans more than 50 countries. The work focuses on six critical issues at the intersection of environment and development: climate, energy, food, forests, water, and cities and transport. The work is made possible through a growing number of partners and supporters that share the Institute’s goals and objectives, including private foundations, corporations, individuals, and agencies and cooperating organizations.

Source: Press release from WRI