There will be substantial investments in liquid treatment equipment, pumps, valves, analyzers, chemicals, air pollution control systems and other products and services.
In 2012, unconventional gas will boost the fluid treatment market by $5 billion. Pumps for hydraulic fracturing will account for nearly 20 percent of the increase. They must pump water, sand and chemicals down into the earth for two miles under pressures high enough to penetrate and fracture the shale deposits. The conversion of coal to natural gas is very attractive for countries such as China where coal is plentiful and gas is scarce. A number of conversion projects are underway around the world with China leading the way.
