Chris is lying.
"natural gas production from shale was steadily increasing.".
So "conventional" natural gas production is declining, and total natural gas production is at a plateau (at the highest levels in history).
Nelder's own chart shows this plateau (starting in late 2011, not in 2009, as he stated earlier).
Nelder also describes how conventional wells are declining all the time.
So think for yourself. If conventional production is declining, and shale production is NOT increasing, how can total production be at a plateau?
Answer - it can't.
So yes, shale production is increasing, and, at this point, it's just offsetting declines from other sources.
Moreover, total "shale energy" is increasing by a lot. Just looking at natural gas under-estimates things. If Nelder was honest, he would add total BTUs from natural gas, NGLs and oil altogether and show that chart.
Why doesn't he do this? Because he is incapable of giving a straight answer.
