Introduction to Shale Reservoirs

Exploring Shale Reservoirs

Geologic Considerations: regional (or basin-wide) structural influences and tectonic considerations and local stratigraphy.

Exploration Considerations: Reconnaissance methods; objectives and tasks involved in the exploration study; screening and ranking prospects; importance of fractures; use of seismic in the evaluation of shale reservoirs; role of geomechanics; use of basin modeling and petroleum systems analysis; risk analysis and pilot projects

Geochemical - Total Organic Carbon & Thermal Maturity.

Appraising Shale Reservoirs

Formation Evaluation: Wireline Logging; Borehole Imaging; Micro-Seismic Analysis; Wireline formation testing. Using log measurements for determination of mineralogy; porosity (total porosity vs. effective porosity); permeability; free and total gas quantification; adsorbed hydrocarbons quantification; saturation and shale gas integrated with cores. Understanding rock heterogeneity

Geomechanics - Paleo Stress; Modern Stress; Near borehole Stress and Wellbore Failure; Mechanical Earth Model (MEM); Thickness, Depth and Pressure; Hydrocarbons Storage Capacity.

Drilling Shale Reservoirs

Horizontal Borehole Considerations

Reservoir Quality Considerations for Borehole Placement: Lateral orientation

Rig Technologies; Pad Drilling; Drilling Fluids; Bottom Hole Assembly Optimization

Drainage areas and borehole spacing; Production “Sweet Spots” Economics; Statistical Drilling; Sweet Spot Drilling;

Completing and Stimulating Shale Reservoirs

Completions – Integration process and best practices in designing completions. Topics such as well integrity, casing requirements, cemented or uncemented liners, fracture staging tools and technology, perforating, and artificial lift are presented.

Fracturing and Fracture Evaluation – Stimulation operations and evaluating completion efficiency. Transverse versus longitudinal fractures, fracture spacing, fracture complexity, job sizing, fluid chemistry and proppant design, risk minimization, and microseismic monitoring. Overview of software applications with field examples

Water Cycle

Producing from Shale Reservoirs

Production Philosophies – production and field redevelopment strategies to maintain production. Tools and workflows for production monitoring and control. Possible Flow Assurance Issues;