Asian nations hold almost a quarter of the world’s technically recoverable shale gas reserves, and are pushing to develop those resources. However, the race to develop shale gas in Asia, which some have likened to a gold rush, has begun to feel more like a marathon than a sprint. Regulatory, geological and technological challenges in China and throughout the region have combined to slow unconventional gas well development. China, for example, has 130 shale gas wells drilled to date, far short of its planned target of 1,800 wells drilled by 2015. We consider these challenges in a recent article: Shale Gas in Asia: Significant Reserves, Substantial Challenges.