Maximize the Placement of Wells and Production in Unconventional Reservoirs:Part 1

Abstract

Over the past decade significant supplies of natural gas have been discovered in shale. While the development of new technologies has driven down the cost of gas extraction, pursuing natural gas in shale continues to be risky and capital-intensive. Producers seek the most productive zones in their shale basins, as well as continued improvement in hydraulic fracturing processes. Decreasing costs and reducing risk while maximizing shale gas production necessitates innovative, advanced analytical capabilities that can give you a comprehensive understanding of the reservoir heterogeneity in order to extract hidden predictive information, identify drivers and leading indicators of efficient well production, determine the best intervals for stimulation, and recommend optimum stimulation processes and frequencies. Modeling, simulating and predicting well productivity requires integrated exploratory, predictive and forecasting capabilities underpinned by advanced analytical models to unlock the true potential of each wellbore. Without the critical insight enabled by integrated analysis to pair productivity analysis with economic feasibility, companies face significant risk and uncertainty when developing new wells or optimizing production of extant wellbores. This paper walks through two case studies implemented in the Bakken and Pinedale assets in the United States, exemplifying data mining workflows that successfully improved hydrocarbon production.