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The chapter explores the unique and important position that China is situated in with the discovery of several shale gas deposits throughout the nation. More specifically the emergence of this unconventional fuel source may allow the nation to improve its position in the import/export market of oil and other fossil fuel markets. More specifically, it may create parody between North American and Asian automobile fuel prices, which has long been without competition. Within this, the shale gas extraction industry is still a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, there are significant challenges that regulators and operators must consider to avoid significantly polluting the groundwater sources in the areas immediately surrounding the shale gas deposits. It is still important to China that they are able to explore many options for their efforts to become self-sustaining for their energy needs. A country with a $12 trillion USD economy is a big player in the international economy, and a self-reliant China may become even more independent of influence from other developed nations. The authors do well to explore such a complex topic of the geopolitical aspects of energy production and markets with deft to not drill too far into one specific topic, and instead provide a birds’ eye view of the broad topic and even have the ability to go into the discussions of what a more competitive Asian energy market would do for the rest of the international market.
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