Sedimentological ichnological and reservoir characteristics of the low-permeability, gas-charged Alderson Member (Hatton gas field, southwest Saskatchewan): Implications for resource development

Lemiski, Ryan Thomas; Hovikoski, Jussi; Pemberton, S. George; Gingras, Murray K.

doi:10.2113/gscpgbull.59.1.27

Cited by 38 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Using nitrogen gas, the permeameter has a measurement range from 0.001 millidarcy (mD) to greater than 30 darcy (Jones, 1994;Lemiski et al, 2011;La Croix et al, 2013;Polo, 2013;Baniak et al, 2013). Nitrogen gas injected through the probe tip was recorded as a function of time on a slabbed and cleaned core surface and the maximum pressure-decay time allowed was 30 seconds.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More recently, issues such as the spatial distribution of burrow porosity (Gingras et al, 2002b, c;Bednarz and McIlroy, 2012) and burrow permeability (Spila et al, 2007;Tonkin et al, 2010;Lemiski et al, 2011;Bednarz and McIlroy, 2012;La Croix et al, 2012, 2013Baniak et al, 2013;Baniak et al, in press) in 2D and 3D have been addressed. These properties are important emerging topics because bioturbation has been shown to have the ability to impact the values and distribution of porosity and permeability within aquifers and hydrocarbon reservoirs (Pemberton and Gingras, 2005;Gingras et al, 2007aGingras et al, , 2012Knaust, 2009a;Cunningham et al, 2012;and references therein).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Associating X-Ray Microtomography with Permeability Contrasts in Bioturbated Media

Baniak

Croix

Polo

et al. 2014

Ichnos

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The use of X-ray microtomography (micro-CT) to evaluate the contrasts in permeability associated with bioturbation in twoand three-dimensions (2D and 3D) is investigated in this article. Core analysis, spot-permeametry measurements, and petrographic thin-sections of the six different datasets from Western Canada (Debolt Formation, Wabamun Group, and Medicine Hat Member) and offshore Norway (Ula Formation, Lysing Formation, and Nise Formation) show that the trace fossils commonly modify the permeability and porosity of the reservoir through sediment reworking and diagenesis of the sediment. In this study, micro-CT techniques are used to analyze the X-ray attenuation associated with bioturbation in siliciclastics and carbonates. Because X-ray attenuation represents the transmissivity or absorptivity of a sample to the incident X-rays, each of which is related to sediment composition and sediment densities, micro-CT images are integrated with sedimentological data and petrographic data to identify the trace fossils and matrix in 2D and 3D. Due to the difference in sediment grain size and sorting (i.e., porosity) within the burrows and matrix, analysis of the X-ray attenuations allows for their delineation in 2D cross-sectional images. When processed as 3D volumes, the micro-CT images show the complexity in burrow connectivity and burrow orientations within a sample. More importantly, the 3D volumes help show the distribution of porosity that can be linked to measured permeability values within a sample. Quantification of the heterogeneous burrow fabric on reservoir and resource quality is made from these processed micro-CT images.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associating X-Ray Microtomography with Permeability Contrasts in Bioturbated Media

Baniak

Croix

Polo

et al. 2014

Ichnos

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“…The host sediment is typically an ultra-low-permeability organic-rich mudstone and/or siltstone with poor vertical permeability and rich in biogenic and/or thermogenic gas that is tightly bound within the host sediment (Curtis, 2002). Shale-gas and other shale-petroleum facies are commonly composed of interbedded successions of dominantly fine-grained rocks (siltstones and mudstones) of variable but generally low permeability (e.g., Lemiski et al, 2011). Economic production from such heterogeneous, low-permeability but volumetrically large reservoirs relies not only upon locating the organic-rich mudstone, but also upon the identification of stratigraphic intervals within the reservoir that are sufficiently fracturable and permeable to allow exploitation (Jenkins and Boyer, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Few focused studies of the ichnology of shalegas reservoirs exist (Pemberton and Gingras, 2005;Hovikoski et al, 2008;Lemiski et al, 2011). Within some mudstones, siltstones, and sandstones with low net permeability, fluid flow is considered to be possible through conduits, formed by induced fracturing, that connect isolated high-porosity trace fossils such as Phycosiphon, Zoophycos, and Chondrites (Pemberton andGingras, 2005, Spila et al, 2007;Lemiski et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Within some mudstones, siltstones, and sandstones with low net permeability, fluid flow is considered to be possible through conduits, formed by induced fracturing, that connect isolated high-porosity trace fossils such as Phycosiphon, Zoophycos, and Chondrites (Pemberton andGingras, 2005, Spila et al, 2007;Lemiski et al, 2011). Such burrows, when present in shale-gas reservoirs, can constitute a significant volume of the reservoir, enough to sustain an economically significant flow (Pemberton and Gingras, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of phycosiphoniform burrows on shale hydrocarbon reservoir quality

Bednarz

McIlroy

2012

Bulletin

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A B S T R A C TUnconventional gas (tight gas, coalbed methane, and shale gas) has become an increasingly significant source of energy. Economic production from such low-permeability reservoirs relies upon identifying regions of the reservoir that will yield the highest gas production rates. Currently available gas recovery technologies are highly dependent on the fracturability of the reservoir. Zones of enhanced brittleness and permeability within shale-gas reservoir horizons are a prerequisite for successful shale-gas recovery. Such brittle zones are directly linked with increased quartz and/or carbonate content within the mudstone. In mudstones with high clay-mineral content, quartz may be concentrated and redistributed as a result of burrowing activities of infaunal organisms. Highquality porosity and permeability zones in shale-petroleum reservoirs may be present in the form of silty and sandy tortuous strips of selectively concentrated grains of quartz that constitute burrow halos. Grain-selective burrows therefore can improve reservoir capacity, permeability, and fracturability and thus control the storativity of the shale-petroleum reservoir. This study presents three-dimensional reconstructions of three different types of Phycosiphon-like burrows and investigates the possible fluid-flow paths caused by the ichnofabric. The volumetric approach to the bioturbation generated by phycosiphoniform burrow makers used herein shows that the volume of sediment that becomes more porous and more permeable media within such bioturbated interval can range from 13 to 26% of the total volume. The quartzose strips of sediment caused by bioturbation are highly tortuous and interconnected vertically and horizontally, thereby increasing both horizontal and vertical permeability. Additionally, the quartz frameworks created by the A U T H O R SMałgorzata Bednarz received her M.Sc. degree in geology from the Jagiellonian University in Poland. After working for several years as a graphic designer, Małgorzata returned to geology as a Ph.D. student at Memorial University. Her research is focused on three-dimensional ichnofabric analysis as a tool for assessing the function of bioturbation on the porosity, permeability, and fracture susceptibility of shale-gas reservoirs.

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Understanding the role of bioturbation in modifying petrophysical properties: a case from well L5 of the third-member Paleocene Funing Formation (E1f3), Gaoyou Sag, Subei Basin, China

et al. 2023

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Sedimentological ichnological and reservoir characteristics of the low-permeability, gas-charged Alderson Member (Hatton gas field, southwest Saskatchewan): Implications for resource development

Cited by 38 publications

References 49 publications

Associating X-Ray Microtomography with Permeability Contrasts in Bioturbated Media

Associating X-Ray Microtomography with Permeability Contrasts in Bioturbated Media

Effect of phycosiphoniform burrows on shale hydrocarbon reservoir quality

Understanding the role of bioturbation in modifying petrophysical properties: a case from well L5 of the third-member Paleocene Funing Formation (E1f3), Gaoyou Sag, Subei Basin, China

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