New shale and tight gas opportunities seem to be popping up all over Europe in recent months. According to industry reports, Ireland and the Netherlands are the latest unconventional hot spots that are drawing the attention of industry players worldwide.

In mid-February, Conor Lenihan, Ireland's minister for natural resources, made an announcement that the country has awarded onshore petroleum licenses to a trio of companies: Australia’s Tamboran Resources PTY Ltd and Lough Allen Natural Gas Company Ltd as well as UK-based Enegi Oil plc. The licenses permit the exploration and development of prospects in Ireland’s Northwest Carboniferous and Clare basins, according to a report by Inside Ireland.

Enegi Oil has been offered a 100% interest in a 495 square-mile licensing option, which it will use to execute work programs in the Clare Basin. Based on technical studies of the basin, which is located in western Ireland, analysis indicates the presence of a "hot shale area," according to a statement by Enegi Oil.

"Enegi has adopted a strategy of reducing risk concentration," said Alan Minty, chief executive officer of Enegi Oil. "The award of this option demonstrates the commitment of the company to build a portfolio of assets where real value can be created."

Enegi’s work program is expected to cost £500,000 (US$803,000) and be executed within a time frame of two years. Upon completion of the program, the company will then be allowed to apply for exploration licenses over portions of or the entire area of interest.

While specific details of Tamboran and Lough Allen’s prospects are not yet available, the deal is expected to be finalized in the second quarter of 2011. In addition, Tamboran has provided an overview of the prospect on its website.

Approximately 745 miles east of Ireland, the Netherlands is also seeing an increase in interest from companies seeking to ramp up their shale gas operations.

Brabant Resources, a subsidiary of Cuadrilla Resources, has reported that it plans to drill the Netherlands’ first unconventional well in the North Brabant province this year. The company is partnering with Dutch-owned Energie Beheer Netherlands (EBN) on the project.

The Netherland’s Volkskrant publication noted that Mark Miller, chief executive officer of Cuadrilla, is "very optimistic" about the prospects.

The company plans to drill a total of three wells, with the first being completed in three months time.

According to estimates from the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), the amount of recoverable shale gas in the area ranges from 2,400 to 11,000 billion cubic meters.

"Estimates are circulating from one to several times the Slochteren field," said Kees Wiechers, a member of the Dutch Energy Council. The Slochteren field is home to the infamous Groningen gas find, which holds an estimated 95,350 billion cubic feet of reserves.

On the whole, both the Netherland and Irish governments are supportive of the energy industry’s objectives. The Dutch Energy Council, the highest advisory body in Dutch energy affairs, has already voiced its strong support for unconventional development.

"Of course for the Netherlands, it is good news," said Wiechers. "But the consequences [of a large local find] for the world market is even more important."

As shale and tight gas prospects continue to become an important source of energy, it can be expected that more and more countries will be looking to harness the benefits that these reservoirs can bring. Perks such as energy sufficiency, employment and the augmentation of local economies are only a few of the benefits that oil and gas operations bring along with them.

"Unconventional gas is proving to be a game changer in the oil and gas industry," said Lord Browne, former chief executive officer of BP. "In the space of just a few short years it has transformed the supply picture in North America and may do so again here in Europe. The UK is in a strong position to benefit from the potential growth in unconventional gas."

As the prospects in Ireland and the Netherlands continue to develop it is only a matter of time until industry players, armed with new technologies and a little Irish luck, encounter a fortunate find.

Contact the author, Lauren C. Sjurseth, at lsjurseth@hartenergy.com.