2012/1/4  日本経済新聞 

新型油田・ガス田、米で投資拡大　仏・中石油大手

　世界のエネルギー企業が米国でシェールガスやシェールオイルと呼ばれる新型ガス田・油田への投資を拡大している。仏石油大手トタルは３日、オハイオ州の権益を23億ドル（約1760億円）で取得したと発表。中国国有石油大手の中国石油化工集団（シノペックグループ）もルイジアナ州など５カ所の権益を22億ドルで取得した。

　頁岩（けつがん）と呼ばれる地中の岩盤層に含まれるシェールガスやシェールオイルは、技術革新で生産コストが低下。採算が改善したため、欧州や中国などでも開発の動きが広がっている。トタルとシノペックグループは開発・生産で先行する米国で技術やノウハウの獲得を狙う。

　トタルは米天然ガス大手チェサピーク・エナジーなど２社がオハイオ州東部の「ユーティカ・シェール」に所有する約2500平方キロメートルの鉱区の25％の権益を取得した。トタルはテキサス州でもチェサピークと組んでシェールガス開発に取り組んでおり、合弁事業は２件目となる。

Chesapeake has already done a deal with Total in the Barnett shale play in Texas, as well as deals with BP plc and Plains Exploration & Production Co. in Arkansas, and Statoil ASA  in the Marcellus shale play in Pennsylvania.

　米国ではシェールガスの生産急増でガス価格が低迷している。このため、「油分が多い」（トタル）ユーティカ・シェールではシェールオイル開発が中心になる見込み。

　シノペックは子会社を通じて、米石油探査会社デボン・エナジーが米国内５カ所に所有する鉱区の３分の１の権益を取得した。ルイジアナ州とミシシッピ州にまたがる「タスカルーサ・マリン・シェール」やオハイオ州のユーティカ・シェールなどの鉱区が含まれている。シノペックは昨年12月、カナダの天然ガス開発会社デイライト・エナジーを買収するなど、北米における投資を加速している。

PetroChinaもAthabasca Oil Sands の MacKay River projectの持分を60%から100%に。

　米エネルギー省が昨年４月に発表したリポートによると、世界のシェールガスの潜在埋蔵量は6622兆立方フィート。このうち、中国には1275兆立方フィート、フランスには180兆立方フィートの潜在埋蔵量があるとされる。

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January 3, 2012 Total 　

Total expands its position in the USA, entering the Utica Shale formation in Ohio

Total announces that its subsidiary, Total E&P USA, Inc.(“Total”), has signed and completed on December 30, 2011 an agreement to enter into a Joint Venture with Chesapeake Exploration, L.L.C.,a subsidiary of Chesapeake Energy Corporation, (“Chesapeake”) and affiliates of its partner EnerVest Ltd. In the agreement, Total acquires a 25% share in Chesapeake’s and EnerVest’s liquids-rich area of the Utica shale play located across 10 counties on the eastern side of  the state of Ohio, USA.

Yves-Louis Darricarrère, President, Total Exploration & Production, stated “Total is delighted to be building on our technical successes with Chesapeake in the Barnett Shale Joint Venture and to expand into the liquids-rich Utica Shale play in Ohio. This is consistent with our strategy to develop positions in unconventional plays with large potential and, in this case, with value predominantly linked to oil price. This joint venture will provide us with a material position in a valuable long-term resource base under attractive terms and with a top-class operator. Total is conscious of the environmental aspects linked to developing shale acreage and is confident in Chesapeake’s capacity to manage the Utica shale operations in a responsible manner, respecting the highest industry standards. ”

The transaction is effective as of November 1, 2011. Total has paid Chesapeake and EnerVest about USD 700 million in cash for acquiring these assets. Total will also be committed to pay additional amounts up to USD 1.63 billion over a maximum period of 7 years in the form of a 60% carry of Chesapeake and EnerVest’s future capital expenditures on drilling and completion of wells within the Joint Venture.

The Joint Venture covers approximately 619,000 net acres, of which 542,000 net acres are brought by Chesapeake and 77,000 net acres are brought by EnerVest. Total will acquire its 25% share from each of Chesapeake and EnerVest on identical terms, giving a total of 155,000 net acres. Chesapeake will operate the Joint Venture acreage.

As a result of the transaction, Total will also acquire a 25% share in any new acreage which will be acquired by Chesapeake in the liquids-rich area of the Utica shale play.

To date 13 wells have been drilled across the acreage with very promising results seen from each well in terms of productivity and liquid content. The Joint Venture plans to ramp up the drilling activities in the coming 3 years with 25 rigs planned to be mobilized by 2014 to fully appraise and develop the acreage. SEC production in Total’s share is expected to reach 100,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day by the end of the decade.

Additionally, Total, Chesapeake and EnerVest have agreed to jointly develop the construction of the necessary midstream facilities to export the production from this acreage.

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Jan 3 2012　Reuters

PetroChina buys control of Canada oil sands project

PetroChina became the first Chinese state-owned company to wholly own a Canadian oil sands development after agreeing on Tuesday to buy out its partner's stake in a newly approved project for C$680 million ($674 million).

Calgary-based Athabasca Oil Sands Corp said it exercised an option to sell its 40 percent interest in the MacKay River project in northern Alberta to PetroChina so it could free up money to concentrate on some of its other oil sands and light crude projects.

カナダのAthabasca Oil Sands Corp. は2009年8月31日、PetroChina との間で、PetroChina がAthabasca のMacKay River 及び Dover オイルサンド計画の60%の権益を取得する契約を締結したと発表した。対価は19億カナダドル。

2009/9/10　 PetroChina、カナダのオイルサンド事業に参加

After the project won regulatory approvals last week, the partners had 30 days to decide to exercise put and call options on Athabasca's stake. They have a similar arrangement with a larger, nearby project still awaiting a go-ahead from regulators.
　　　
Athabasca shares rose 26 Canadian cents, or 2 percent, to C$12.75 on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

"Now you can look forward with a bit more clarity on what they're going to be up to in the next couple of years as opposed to wondering whether or not they're staying in the joint venture," FirstEnergy Capital Corp analysts Michael Dunn said.

"Whenever you remove uncertainty, it's usually good for a stock."

The investment came as state-owned Sinopec said it will spend $2.2 billion on stakes in U.S. shale properties owned by Devon Energy Corp, showing China's appetite for unconventional energy resources in North America is far from being satiated.

PetroChina is expected to start work this month at MacKay River, which is scheduled to begin producing 35,000 barrels a day by 2014, at a cost of around C$1.3 billion. Eventual output could hit 150,000 bpd.

It will employ steam-assisted gravity drainage, or SAGD, where steam is injected into the ground to loosen up the tar-like bitumen so it can be pumped to the surface in wells.

The initial phase is small in comparison to the major tar sands mining operations, such as those operated by Suncor Energy Inc and Syncrude Canada Ltd, each of whose current output is 10 times more.

However, it is in line with single phases of numerous other SAGD projects run by such companies as Devon and Cenovus Energy Inc.

ASIAN INVASION

It is not known if PetroChina will develop the project on its own or bring in another partner. In a spending rush in Western Canada over the past decade, Chinese and other Asian investors have maintained the practice of taking interests in projects while leaving operating tasks in the complex and pricey developments to domestic partners.

Growing environmental concerns in the United States, the main market for oil sands-derived crude, over the impact of the developments has prompted Canada's government and oil industry to seek closer ties with China and other Asian countries as a way to diversify markets and fetch higher prices.

Public hearings begin next week into Enbridge Inc's C$5.5 billion Northern Gateway pipeline, the first project designed to transport oil sands crude to the West Coast so it can be shipped to Asia. They are expected to be lengthy contentious amid opposition from native communities and environmental groups.

The Northern Gateway oil pipeline will carry over half a million barrels of petroleum a day
controversial $6.6-billion Northern Gateway pipeline proposed by Enbridge Inc.

The oil supply situation on the North American continent grew critical during the Korean War and helped promote construction of the Trans-Mountain pipeline from Edmonton to Vancouver and, later, to the Seattle area.
Oil first moved through the 1,200-kilometre, $93 million system in 1953.
Kinder Morgan, Inc.(an American energy company)
A second project has been launched to carry major new volumes of oil-sands crude to Pacific waters, amid mounting industry interest in exporting Canadian oil to Asia.

For its part, Athabasca said it still expects to produce 8,000-10,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day by the end of 2012, but it cut its capital spending budget by C$190 million as a result of the sale.

Among its other projects, the company aims to start production at its wholly owned Hangingstone oil sands development in 2014, with output eventually rising to 80,000 bpd, Chief Executive Sveinung Svarte said in a statement.

It has also amassed 1.7 million acres of light crude and liquids-rich gas properties and is shooting to have half its production from those.

Proceeds from the option exercise, less about C$468 million in loan repayments to PetroChina, are earmarked for working toward that, the company said.

Now, the focus turns to Athabasca's Dover oil sands project, in which it has a similar option arrangement with PetroChina. Either side can exercise the option to trade Athabasca's interest in Dover for C$1.32 billion, for one month after the project is approved. A regulatory decision is expected later this year.

"I can't see them staying in Dover now that they're out of MacKay," Dunn said. "Never say never, but the writing is pretty much on the wall."

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Jan. 3, 2012-- Devon Energy 

Devon Energy Announces $2.2 Billion Transaction on Five New Venture Plays

Devon Energy Corporation today announced it has signed an agreement with Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration & Production Corporation (SIPC) whereby SIPC will invest $2.2 billion in exchange for one-third of Devon’s interest in five new venture plays. Prior to this transaction, Devon had assembled 1.2 million net acres in the company’s previously announced positions in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale, Niobrara, Mississippian, Ohio Utica Shale and the Michigan Basin. The companies have recently added acreage in the Ohio Utica Shale, increasing their joint position in the play to 235,000 net acres.

SIPC will also reimburse Devon for drilling costs incurred prior to closing and acreage acquisition costs incurred subsequent to the effective date of the agreement. SIPC will make a $900 million cash payment upon closing and $1.6 billion paid in the form of a drilling carry. The drilling carry will fund 70 percent of Devon’s capital requirements, which results in SIPC paying 80 percent of the overall development costs during the carry period. Based on the current work plan, the company expects the entire $1.6 billion carry to be realized by year-end 2014. Through 2012, the companies expect to drill approximately 125 gross wells in the five plays.

“This arrangement improves Devon’s capital efficiency by recovering our land and drilling costs to date and by significantly reducing our future capital commitments,” said John Richels, Devon’s president and chief executive officer. “We can accelerate the derisking and commercialization of these five plays without diverting capital from our core development projects. This transaction also provides us further flexibility to seek exposure to additional new play types with less risk.”

“While we are still in the early stages of derisking these plays, the tremendous response by industry to our data room process clearly underscores the attractiveness of this opportunity,” said Dave Hager, Devon’s executive vice president of exploration and production. “We believe our strong acreage positions in these plays, our reputation as a quality operator and the uniqueness of the opportunity for exposure to five different plays in a single venture make this a compelling value proposition.”

Devon will serve as the operator and will have ultimate responsibility for the allocation of capital. The company is also responsible for commercially marketing all production from these plays into the North American market. Subject to customary government and regulatory approvals, the closing is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2012.

Devon Energy Corporation is an Oklahoma City-based independent energy company engaged in oil and gas exploration and production. Devon is a leading U.S.-based independent oil and gas producer and is included in the S&P 500 Index. For additional information, visit www.devonenergy.com.

January 4, 2010

France's Total enters Barnett Shale gas play

French energy giant Total will enter Texas' Barnett Shale natural gas field under a $2.25 billion joint venture with Oklahoma's Chesapeake Energy Corp., the companies announced this morning.
Under the deal, Total will pay $800 million in cash and an additional $1.45 billion in drilling and development costs to acquire a 25 percent interest in Chesapeake's Barnett Shale assets.
The assets covered by the joint venture include about 270,000 net acres, some 700 million cubic feet of natural gas equivalent per day of current production and about 3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas equivalent of proved reserves, Chesapeake said in a statement.
The companies said they also intend to acquire additional acreage in the Barnett Shale under the deal, which is still subject to regulatory approval and expected to close by the end of January.
Aubrey K. McClendon, CEO of Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake, said the deal will allow the firm to reduce its financial leverage and future capital expenditures and “further position us to deliver industry-leading finding and development costs and returns on capital for years to come.”
Analysts with Houston investment bank Simmons & Company International, called the transaction “a clear positive” for Chesapeake.
The deal marks the firm's fourth joint venture transaction in major U.S. shale plays, which have steered a combined $10.8 billion to Chesapeake in the last 18 months. The company has also formed partnerships with BP America, Plains Exploration and Production Company and Norway's Statoil.
The joint venture is the second major move to acquire U.S. natural gas assets in as many months. In December, Exxon Mobil Corp. said it would acquire Fort Worth's XTO Energy, also a big player in the Barnett Shale, in a deal valued at $41 billion.
The Total-Chesapeake deal is another sign of growing interest by the world's largest oil companies in natural gas as oil resources become more difficult to find. It also marks the entry of another major foreign oil company into U.S. shale gas fields.
Chesapeake shares rose $1.61 to $27.49 in New York Stock Exchange trading this morning.

丸紅  2012年1月6日

米国テキサス州・イーグルフォード・シェールオイル・ガス開発事業に参画

　丸紅株式会社は、米国子会社Marubeni Eagle Ford Limited Partnership（本社：米国テキサス州）を通じ、米独立系石油ガス開発大手ハント・オイル社（Hunt Oil Company 本社：テキサス州ダラス）との間で、同社が米国テキサス州・イーグルフォードEagle Ford・シェールオイル・ガス田に保有する開発・生産権益、約52,000エーカー（約210平方キロメートル）の35％を取得することに合意、権益売買契約を締結しました。

　本プロジェクトは、今後5〜10年間程度に亘り数百本の井戸を順次掘削する計画であり、取得対価を含む当社持分の総開発費用は約13億米ドルとなる見込みです。又、丸紅とハント・オイル社は、イーグルフォード・シェール・エリアにおいて、新規権益を共同取得していくことにも合意致しました。

　イーグルフォード・シェールオイル・ガス田は、良質な軽質原油を産出しており、北米において最も有望な鉱区の一つであると言われています。このような有望鉱区において、米ノースダコタ州バッケンシェール・エリア等において豊富なシェールオイル・ガス開発・操業経験を持つ、ハント・オイル社という優良パートナーと共同参画する本事業は、今後の関連事業の拡大も含めて、中長期的な安定収益に大きく寄与するものと期待しております。

　丸紅は資源エネルギー分野における石油・ガス上流開発事業を重点事業と位置づけ、米国メキシコ湾・ナイオブララ・シェール、英領北海、インド洋、カタール沖において石油・ガス開発事業に参画しております。2011年4月に参画した、米マラソン・オイル社が主導するナイオブララ・シェールオイル開発事業は、同年10月より試験生産を開始しておりますが、当社のシェールオイル権益は、本件参画後累計で約72,000エーカーとなり、日本企業としては最大のシェールオイル権益を保有することとなります。

　シェールオイル・ガス開発事業は、今後全世界的に加速すると見込まれているため、丸紅は、ナイオブララ・シェールオイル、並びに本事業から得られる知見・ノウハウを活用して、米国のみならず他地域でのシェールオイル・ガス開発事業への展開を視野に入れつつ、引き続き優良な石油・ガス開発上流資産の取得に注力していく方針です。


ハント・オイル社概要
　
ハント・オイル社は、Ray L. Hunt会長率いるハントグループの中核会社Hunt Consolidated, Inc.の子会社で、1934年に創業され、現在では独立系石油ガス開発企業としては世界最大手の1社です。ハント・オイル社は、世界各国にて石油ガス開発事業を展開しており、又、イエメン、ペルーにおいてLNG事業を行なっています。

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北米のシェールガス開発では、以下の各社が開発に参加している。　　　

February 17, 2012　Encana

Encana and Mitsubishi enter into partnership for development of Cutbank Ridge undeveloped lands in British Columbia

Japanese global integrated business enterprise to invest C$2.9 billion for a 40 percent interest in long-term development of abundant natural gas

PetroChinaは2月10日、カナダの天然ガス最大手のEncana Corporation から天然ガスの権益の50%を54億カナダドル（54.3億米ドル）で買収することで合意したと発表した。

両社は6月21日、条件が折り合わず、交渉を中止したと発表した。

2011/2/16 　PetroChina、カナダの天然ガス権益取得

Encana Corporation has entered into an agreement with Mitsubishi Corporation that will see the Japanese global integrated business enterprise invest approximately C$2.9 billion for a 40 percent interest in the Cutbank Ridge Partnership. The Partnership holds about 409,000 net acres of Encana's undeveloped Montney formation natural gas lands in the company's Cutbank Ridge resource play in northeast British Columbia. Through the Cutbank Ridge Partnership, Encana and Mitsubishi plan to create long-term shareholder value by jointly developing production capacity to deliver abundant natural gas to markets for decades ahead.

World-class asset, world-class partner
"This agreement brings a world-class partner to a world-class energy asset. Cutbank Ridge ranks among the most prolific and lowest-cost resource plays in North America and Mitsubishi's financial commitment recognizes the significant value contained in a portion of our enormous resource opportunity. This is a landmark investment by an exceptional and global integrated business partner. The alignment we've already established with Mitsubishi will greatly enhance our plans to maintain Cutbank Ridge's leadership position among the most cost competitive resource plays on the continent. Despite an increased capital spending profile on these natural gas assets resulting from this transaction, Encana plans to more than offset the near term impact on North American natural gas production oversupply by capital spending reductions elsewhere in its natural gas portfolio," said Randy Eresman, Encana's President & Chief Executive Officer.
"We are excited to join Encana—a first-rate unconventional producer that has pioneered low-cost, continuous improvement and technical innovation across its premium portfolio of North American resource plays. Encana's operational merit, execution excellence and high performance culture are an ideal match with our business approach. We add value by leveraging organizational strength and global networks as we seek to contribute to the enrichment of society through business firmly rooted in principles of fairness and integrity. Mitsubishi looks forward to tapping new natural gas supplies for the long-term development and eventual delivery to world markets. Through this development, we aim to contribute to economic growth and job creation in Canada," said Jun Yanai, Mitsubishi's Executive Vice President, Chief Executive Officer for Energy Business

Group.
Under the agreement, Encana will own 60 percent and Mitsubishi will own 40 percent of the Cutbank Ridge Partnership.
Mitsubishi will pay C$1.45 billion on closing, which is expected to occur later this month, and Mitsubishi will invest C$1.45 billion in addition to its 40 percent of the Partnership's future capital investment for a commitment period, which is expected to be about five years, thereby reducing Encana's capital funding commitments to 30 percent of the total expected capital investment over that period. The assets in the Partnership include about 409,000 net acres of undeveloped Montney lands in British Columbia, plus additional development potential in the Cadomin and Doig geological formations. Encana will be the managing partner and operator of the Partnership. This transaction does not include any of Encana's current Cutbank Ridge production of about 600 million cubic feet of natural gas per day, processing plants, gathering systems or Encana's Alberta landholdings.

Continuing a decade of excellence in British Columbia natural gas development
"Early in 2002, we began assembling our expansive Cutbank Ridge lands along the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, straddling the British Columbia-Alberta border. Over the last 10 years, we have systematically and methodically explored, defined and developed the enormous resource potential of this remarkable Canadian natural gas asset. This transaction represents the next step towards the long-term development and value recognition of our undeveloped Cutbank Ridge lands in British Columbia—a major natural gas resource capable of delivering long-term, affordable energy supplies to domestic and export markets," Eresman said.

Enormous undeveloped resource potential
The Cutbank Ridge Partnership's lands have proved undeveloped reserves of approximately 900 billion cubic feet of natural gas equivalent. The lands contain estimated natural gas initially in place of about 130 trillion cubic feet. The undeveloped proved, probable and possible reserves and economic contingent resources on the Partnership lands are outlined in the table below. For additional information on Encana's estimated reserves and economic contingent resources, see Note 1 on page 3.

Cutbank Ridge Partnership's Reserves and Resources (Tcfe)1
                        Encana 60% —Mitsubishi 40%
Estimated undeveloped reserves Estimated economic contingent resources

	1P Proved	2P Proved+ Probable	3P Proved + Probable + Possible	1C Low estimate	2C Best estimate	3C High estimate
Total As at Dec. 31, 2011	0.9	1.4	1.6	6.0	8.1	11.7

 1 Represents year-end 2011 bookings, after royalties, using forecast prices and costs

2012/2/18  日本経済新聞

三菱商事が北米最大ガス田開発　日本にＬＮＧ輸出

　三菱商事はカナダで北米最大級の新型天然ガス田の開発に参画する。同国の資源大手から権益の４割を取得。開発費を含め三菱商事の投資額は約60億カナダドル（約4800億円）と新型ガスでは日本勢で最大になる。液化天然ガス（ＬＮＧ）の生産設備も建設し2018年以降、日本などアジア輸出を目指す。原子力発電所の事故以降、日本のＬＮＧ輸入が急増し発電コストがかさんでいる。北米に調達先が広がれば燃料の安定確保とコスト低減につながりそうだ。

　新型ガスは「シェールガス」と呼ばれる。カナダのエンカナ社（カルガリー）がブリティッシュ・コロンビア州モントニー地域に持つ天然ガス鉱区の権益４割を取得することで同社と合意した。鉱区面積は約1650平方キロメートル。可採埋蔵量は世界最大の需要国である日本の消費量の９年分に当たる35兆立方フィートという。

　福島第１原発の事故後、火力発電の燃料として日本のＬＮＧ需要が急増。11年の輸入量は7853万トンと前年比12％増えた。世界的な需要増でスポット価格も100万ＢＴＵ（英国熱量単位）あたり17〜18ドルと震災前の倍近くに上昇。11年はＬＮＧの増加分だけで１兆3000億円の調達費がかかり、電力料金の引き上げ圧力の要因になっている。

　北米ではシェールガスの増産でガス価格が低下している。北米産ガスを活用すれば液化、輸送コストを含めても調達価格は現在の相場で10ドル前後になるとみられる。日本の発電用燃料コストの低減につながる可能性が高い。

　三菱商事とエンカナは今後５年間、累計600本以上の生産用井戸を掘り開発。10年以内に日量30億立方フィートのフル生産に移る考え。まずは米国やカナダ向けにシェールガスを販売する。三菱商事はカナダ西海岸に液化プラントを設けて引き取った分からＬＮＧを生産。日本向けに供給することを目指す。

　三菱商事はすでにカナダ西部のコルドバ地区で中部電力、東京ガスなどと別のシェールガス権益の５割を保有、天然ガス生産を始めている。今回のガス田権益確保で三菱商事はＬＮＧ換算で年950万トンのガス資源を確保したことになる。

　これまで域内消費してきた米国やカナダ政府も輸出を認める方針で、15年以降、順次アジア向け供給が始まる見通し。北米に調達先が多様化すれば、燃料の安定確保にも寄与する。

　シェールガスでは商社や石油会社が相次ぎ権益を取得。伊藤忠商事が米投資ファンドと共同で米石油ガス会社サムソン・インベストメントを買収したほか、三井物産や丸紅なども米国で権益を確保。国際石油開発帝石も日揮とカナダで権益を取得した。

2012/6/1  日本経済新聞　　　　

ガスから石油代替燃料、米で事業化前進　シェールガス開発で価格低下

　新型天然ガス「シェールガス」ブームに沸く米国で、安価で豊富なガスを原料にした石油代替燃料「ガス・ツー・リキッド（ＧＴＬ）」の生産を目指す動きが広がってきた。南アフリカのエネルギー大手サソールが米南部で事業化調査に着手。英蘭ロイヤル・ダッチ・シェルも検討を始めた。ＧＴＬは有害物質が少ない燃料としても注目されており、普及に弾みがつく可能性がある。

　ＧＴＬは、天然ガスを化学変化させて軽油や灯油、ナフサなどの液体燃料を製造する技術・製品を指す。世界最大の石油消費国である米国では、特に輸送部門の石油依存度が高い。米国でＧＴＬの生産が本格化すれば、自動車燃料の選択肢を広げることにつながり、原油の海外依存の低下にも貢献するとみられている。

　サソールは、同社の石油化学プラントがあるルイジアナ州レークチャールズを候補地に事業化調査を始めた。生産能力は日量４万8000バレルか同９万6000バレルの２案を検討し、投資額は最大100億ドル（約7900億円）。2013年春をメドに最終的な投資判断を下す。

　シェルはテキサス州かルイジアナ州を候補地としてプラント建設の検討に入った。中東カタールに持つ世界最大のＧＴＬプラント「パールＧＴＬ」に匹敵する日量14万バレル程度の生産能力を想定。投資総額は100億ドルを上回るとみられている。

　米国では00年代に入ってシェールガス開発が本格化した結果、ガス価格が大幅に下落。推定埋蔵量も豊富で、価格は当面低く安定するとの見方が多いため、生産拠点としての魅力が高まった。

　サソールやシェルが、ルイジアナ州やテキサス州でＧＴＬプラントの建設を検討するのは、大型のシェールガス田が近くにあるため。メキシコ湾沿いの地域で、軽油など製品の一部について、欧州や中南米への輸出を検討していることも理由の一つとされる。

　サソールのデイビッド・コンスタブル最高経営責任者（ＣＥＯ）は米国生産の見通しについて「事業化調査の結果待ちだが、非常に有望」と述べ、前向きな姿勢を示している。

　ＧＴＬは製造工程が複雑でプラント建設など初期投資のコストがかさむため、原料となるガス価格や、競合する原油価格の動向が事業化のカギを握る。商業生産が行われているのは、カタール、マレーシア、南アの３カ国にとどまる。