Novel Controlled Pressure Coring and Laboratory Methodologies Enable Quantitative Determination of Resource-in-Place and PVT Behavior of the Duvernay Shale

Bjorum, Matt; Willberg, D. M.; Davis, Matthew; Akbarzadeh, Kamran; Williams, Robert C.

doi:10.2118/167199-ms

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Sealed coring provides complete capture of all solids, liquids, and gases. 180 Thus, with no gas lost during drilling, sealed coring can avoid the error in lost gas calculation and largely improve accuracy. In sealed coring, the inner and outer sampling cylinders rotate with the sampling drill with the inner cylinder filled with sealing liquid.…”

Section: Geological Challenges For Identifying Shale Gas Sweet Spot I...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Shale Gas Exploration and Development in China: Current Status, Geological Challenges, and Future Directions

et al. 2021

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The big success in marine shale gas exploration and production made China the third country worldwide to commercialize shale gas development. However, the Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation and the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in and around the Sichuan Basin are currently the only targets that have realized shale gas industrial development. Great challenges are emerging since tremendous shale gas resources of marine facies, continental facies, and transitional facies that are trapped in new areas and multiple other formations are yet to be successfully developed. Thus, we find it a great necessity to provide suggestions on shale gas exploration and development in China, which hopefully can be helpful for global shale gas exploitation. To meet this goal, this work provides a critical review on the history and current status of China’s shale gas exploration and development and summarizes key practical experiences. In the light of characteristic analysis of typical industrial gas fields and wells, research status, problems and challenges, along with suggestions on pivotal scientific issues are addressed including the development of organic-rich shales, reservoir types and characteristics, shale gas content, and the main controlling factors on shale gas enrichment. Further, future directions of shale gas exploration and development are nailed down, incorporating three levels: areas to improve development technology, areas to seek exploration breakthrough, and areas to conduct preliminary studies. The normal-pressure and deep shale gas retained in the Wufeng and Longmaxi Formations in and around the Sichuan Basin are the first level, which are the most realistic resources that can be commercially developed. For the normal-pressure shale gas, detailed research on the sweet spot selection, drilling–encounter ratio enhancement, and cost minimization by advanced technologies are most imperative; for the deep shale gas, state-of-the-art technology to maximize the stimulated reservoir volume of lateral wells is the key. Gas resources in other shale formations in the Sichuan Basin and its periphery such as the Cambrian marine shales, Permian transitional shales, and Jurassic continental shales are the second level, which have the greatest prospective to claim exploration breakthroughs, while shale gas resources in other basins or regions still demand grand scientific and technological tasks for exploration and development preparation. All in all, as a country with diverse shale gas types and such intricate geological and surface conditions, the summary of China’s shale gas exploration and development practices is of vital significance that will not only shed light on China’s shale gas development directions but also provide references for the shale gas industry in other countries and regions.

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Section: Geological Challenges For Identifying Shale Gas Sweet Spot I...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One of the most intuitive methods to estimate gas content is sealed coring technology. Sealed coring provides complete capture of all solids, liquids, and gases . Thus, with no gas lost during drilling, sealed coring can avoid the error in lost gas calculation and largely improve accuracy.…”

Section: Geological Challenges For Identifying Shale Gas Sweet Spot I...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Shale Gas Exploration and Development in China: Current Status, Geological Challenges, and Future Directions

et al. 2021

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Petrophysical Challenges in Unconventional and Tight Source Rocks, Onshore Abu Dhabi

Steiner

Raina

Dasgupta

et al. 2015

Day 2 Tue, November 10, 2015

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ADCO started its unconventional exploration campaign in 2012 targeting the tight carbonate sequences known as Wasia Group, onshore Abu Dhabi. A front-end loaded data gathering strategy was employed to acquire extensive latest generation logging data tailored for unconventional reservoirs. In a number of wells the entire reservoir section was cored, often up to 800 ft per well, leading to more than 3000 ft of core retrieved to date. ADCO applied unconventional core analysis technologies, such as retort analysis, to generate the optimal core results. Key parameters such as effective porosity, pore size distribution, TOC, source rock maturity, mineral compositions and fluid saturations were determined from logs and core data (where available). This paper will focus on the petrophysical challenges during the evaluation of the Wasia Group. We will demonstrate that conventional core analysis techniques have only limited applicability, whereas core analysis techniques designed specifically for unconventionals provide more relevant results. A log analysis methodology centered on the application and importance of NMR in unconventional liquid plays is presented. Porosity data measured through retort analysis provide an excellent fit to NMR log-based porosity measurements. Conventional core analysis results generated a poor fit to log porosity, and the resulting values exhibited scatter with a large standard deviation. T2 distribution from NMR log data suggests the presence of large pores with good fluid mobility, which requires confirmation through formation testing or production. Log data-derived rock typing was performed. It is based on principal component analysis of the reservoir section. Rock classification may help in selecting suitable zones for hydraulic fracture initiation. Lessons learned from the initial wells for core recovery and analysis techniques are summarized below and have been implemented in later wells: –Preserve part of the core for robust saturation measurements.–Stop acquisition of conventional poro-perm data–Focus on unconventional-specific retort-based techniques for core petrophysics–Focus on pulse decay permeabilities–Use scratch test to aid in core analysis sample selection process, especially for rock mechanics–Add core T1/T2 NMR and MICP to future core analysis programs The complete integration of core and log data has allowed for a thorough assessment of the unconventional hydrocarbon potential within the ADCO concession.

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Innovative Concepts in Wireline Continuous Coring

Ashena

Vortisch

Prohaska

et al. 2016

Day 1 Wed, April 20, 2016

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Coring in unconventional reservoirs with typical unconsolidated formations has introduced additional challenges requiring more innovative concepts to be developed. These requirements, economic issues of unconventional reservoirs, and also issues of conventional coring particularly in regard to excessive trip times incurred have recently led to widespread attention to wireline continuous coring (WCC) modified from mining industry to petroleum industry applications. This coring method has contributed to coring deep formations, long core sections, multiple zones, jam prone formations, exploration zones or areas with unknown core points. Currently, WCC is suffering from several drawbacks while some recent attempts have been made to remove them. In this accordance, this work is missioned to remove some existing defects by adding some innovative concepts to be applied to the ordinary WCC. Therefore, a more efficient continuous coring method is aimed which includes enhanced coring key performance indicators.Therefore, several identified challenges of WCC are considered to be removed or alleviated by innovative concepts to be added. The challenges consist of un-flushed inner tube while run in hole, limited retrievable core size, in-situ/pressure coring hazards (i.e. safety issues, complex sealing, etc.), slick line issues (rig time, torque, rupture, etc.), untimely and inefficient decision making while coring/drilling, non-optimized coring/drilling and tripping induced core damage in WCC.In order to address these issues, as novelty measures, first an inner tube flushing system is proposed for flushing inner tubes prior to commencing coring. Second, casing drilling coring is recommended in order to obtain larger core sizes contributing to improved core analysis. Third, in-situ downhole measurement and sampling systems are proposed to measure properties of in-situ fluids in order to complete or replace pressure/in-situ coring systems and ensure safety. Fourth, an innovative mode conversion system is proposed to mitigate slick line issues. Fifth, a less complex logging while coring system has also been proposed in special cases to enhance and expedite real time decision making process in regard to proceeding to core cutting or not. Sixth, an innovative mode conversion system contributing to partial elimination of wireline jobs will also be proposed to substitute slick line/ wireline retrievals. Seventh, optimum tripping schedules have been characterized as crucial to match formation rock and fluid properties and type of WCC applied and also to prevent coring induced damage.

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Novel Controlled Pressure Coring and Laboratory Methodologies Enable Quantitative Determination of Resource-in-Place and PVT Behavior of the Duvernay Shale

Cited by 6 publications

References 6 publications

Shale Gas Exploration and Development in China: Current Status, Geological Challenges, and Future Directions

Shale Gas Exploration and Development in China: Current Status, Geological Challenges, and Future Directions

Petrophysical Challenges in Unconventional and Tight Source Rocks, Onshore Abu Dhabi

Innovative Concepts in Wireline Continuous Coring

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