A collection of e-Symposia recordings from the AAPG Headquarters. These videos are available for purchasing and viewing on demand.

As commodity prices have dropped, many shale plays have become uneconomical as statistical plays and have increasingly become recognized as geological plays demanding new insights from data. This one-hour e-symposium video, which includes material for one full day of independent study, provides an overview of the integrated use of 3D seismic data for exploration and development in major shale plays in the continental U.S. with applicability worldwide.
This e-symposium will focus on how surface geochemical surveys and Downhole Geochemical Imaging technologies can be utilized jointly to directly characterize the composition of hydrocarbons vertically through the prospect section. This methodology has the unique ability to look at a broad compound range from C2 to C20, which is significantly more expansive than the limited traditional ranges of C1-C5 or C1-C10 of most well gas logging techniques. The result is a broad characterization of petroleum phase contained in the stratigraphic intervals down the well.
Recent laboratory studies have revealed previously unknown behaviors in shale gas which unlock secrets of permeability and sweet spots in shale gas reservoirs. The presentation presents the findings and also goes into detail about how the new information can be applied in order to potentially improve recovery in reservoirs.
Based upon recent studies of the Barnett Shale in Texas, a systematic characterization workflow is necessary to do an accurate reservoir characterization. This should incorporate different tools such as: litho- and sequence-stratigraphy, geochemistry, petrophysics, geomechanics, well log, and 3D seismic analysis. This study will focus in the combination of λρ – μρ inversion with clustering analysis techniques in order to discriminate brittle zones in the Barnett Shale.
Effective communication is vital in effective geoscience teams. Without it, poor decisions are made and morale slips, and individuals start looking for different opportunities. Leaders and mentors can increase their impact on retention of talent by engaging professionals in focused conversations. This seminar describes these conversations as a series of questions to be explored. The conversations are also the basis for a final critical retention ingredient…mutual trust.
Successful development of Wolfcamp shale oil relies on complex inter-relationships (ultimately interdependencies) within and between a wide variety of scientific disciplines, financial entities, and company partnerships. The issues and nuances within any sub-category alone could fill a book. But many broad considerations can be highlighted in the exploration and development of Wolfcamp shale oil by examining “Concepts of Scale”. An English teacher might describe “Concepts of Scale” as a recurring thematic element. And if the view is sufficiently twisted with respect to all of the following observations, scale always has some role in the process. This presentations addresses the development of the Wolfcamp Shale in the Permian Basin and is split into 2 parts. The first part of this presentation focuses on the scientific disciplines; grouped as geosciences and engineering. Geoscience observations include depositional fabrics, gas show variations, and comparative number of lateral landing zones (“benches”). Engineering observations include variations in frac stage designs (trends in numbers of stages, numbers of clusters, amounts of fluid and proppant), contrasting reservoir responses to frac stimulation from micro-seismic evaluation; and counter-intuitive goals for stimulated reservoir volumes. The second part of this presentation focuses on the business disciplines; grouped as land, development capital, and company partnerships. Land observations include the geographical and mineral ownership complexities of potential lease configurations. Development capital observations emphasize the rapidly changing aspects of quantity and timing. Company partnership observations encompass working interest sharing, data sharing, and the potential optimal strategies involved. Hopefully this will encourage company teams to step back from their projects, evaluate strategy and available resources, and re-examine work flows and communication processes. Maybe even glimpse a forest not seen before.
Reservoir connectivity is critical in the evaluation and development of many oil and gas fields that consist of discrete, lenticular sand units. Poor reservoir connectivity may lead to a high degree of reservoir compartmentalization, resulting in large capital investments to extract hydrocarbons and/or low hydrocarbon recovery factors. This e-symposium focuses on methods for predicting connectivity within clastic fluvial systems.
The Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas is one of the more exciting shale plays in the United States at the current time. Join us to learn and discuss new and revitalized plays, new technologies, and case studies / experiences involving the Eagle Ford and also other resource plays that may provide good analogues. The workshop crosses the disciplines and features presentations involving engineering, geology, and geophysics.
This e-symposium presents techniques for predicting pore pressure in seals by examining case studies from the Gulf of Mexico and incorporating the relationship between rocks, fluids, stress, and pressure.
Water cut is a big factor in gauging the success of horizontal drilling in the Mississippi Lime Play (MLP). The contributing factors are related in part to the spectrum of producing lithofacies and reservoir quality encountered that varies laterally and vertically, sometimes dramatically.
The day-long course from which this webinar is extracted explores a wide range of topics on geomorphologic controls of river systems and the related depositional processes that generate and preserve fluvial sediment. The course will concentrate on modern river processes but in the context of how these processes eventually generate preserved fluvial strata.
This e-symposium presentation places the interpretation of deep-water turbidites discernible in 3-D seismic inversion data within a geological context. It will include multiple case studies, four of which are located in the Gulf of Guinea (one Pliocene plus Cretaceous examples).
When drilling in the Eagle Ford it is important to accurately and consistently identify and correlate the same richness zone in two or more wells. In addition to logs and seismic using the maximum flooding surfaces identified in each well, the continuous reflectors on seismic, provides a third data set for identification of the same richness zone in each well.
This e-symposium will be introducing signal processing techniques as a means to maximize extracting geomechanical data from petrophysical logs. The focus will be on different signal processing techniques that can be used to mine data from log data.
This e-symposium highlights methodologies for managing the wide range of input data used in geomodelling, and approaches to building fit for purpose 3D geological models. It shows how to design modelling schemes, identify uncertainties and how to apply results to real life field development. Field examples are utilized and theory is kept to a minimum.
The geochemistry of formation fluids (water and hydrocarbon gases) in the Uinta Basin, Utah, is evaluated at the regional scale based on fluid sampling and compilation of past records. The focus of this symposium is on the hydrogeochemistry and gas compositions from the vantage point of a basin-wide view.
Understanding carbonate reservoirs can be challenging due to the intrinsic heterogeneities that occur at all scales of observation and measurement. Heterogeneity in carbonates can be attributed to variable lithology, chemistry/mineralogy, pore types, pore connectivity, and sedimentary facies. These inherent complexities can be related to processes controlling original deposition and their subsequent diagenesis. Although it is widely stated that carbonate heterogeneities are poorly understood, the term ‘heterogeneity’ is rarely defined or numerically quantified. This work investigates how heterogeneity can be defined and how we can quantify this term by describing a range of statistical heterogeneity (e.g. coefficient of variation and the Lorenz coefficient). These measures can be used to interpret variability in wireline log data; enabling a comparison of heterogeneities between different measurements and tools, and within individual or between multiple reservoir units. A Heterogeneity Log has been developed as a result of applying these techniques to wireline log data through a carbonate reservoir, over set intervals of 10, 5, 2 and 1m. Strong heterogeneity contrasts are identified across a suite of logs, indicating an underlying geological control, for example meter-scale geological heterogeneities in carbonate facies and mud content. Zones of heterogeneity show strong correlation to traditional fluid flow zonations, and by applying the same statistical measures of heterogeneity to established flow zone units it is possible to rank these in terms of their internal heterogeneity. Increased reservoir quality correlates with both increased and decreased heterogeneity depending on the type of wireline measurement and can be related to underlying geological heterogeneities and measurement types. Key Topics to be covered include: What does Heterogeneity mean? Types of heterogeneity in carbonate reservoirs Characterizing heterogeneity in a dataset Examples of heterogeneity measures Basic application to a reservoir succession The Heterogeneity Log Characterizing geological features Insights into reservoir compartments Insights into physical properties Heterogeneity and reservoir quality / flow units
This e-symposium introduces you to the practical benefits of thermal profiling for a variety of unconventional oil and gas projects, including tight gas sands, oil shale, low-gravity oil. You will learn the basics of thermal profiling and how fiber optic-based thermal profiling systems are designed and deployed from Mikko Jaaskelainen and Jack Angel, recognized experts in the field.
The presentation will focus on hydraulic fracture geometry in shales, the materials used in the fracturing process, and treatment monitoring via microseismic.
This course discusses how the artificial kerogen maturity of organic-rich Green River shale affects the petrophysical, micro-structural, geochemical and elastic properties. The shale sample with total organic carbon (TOC) of ~28% is used in the examination. It is then subjected to anhydrous pyrolysis for artificial maturation by cooking the sample at 350°C for three days. You will see evidence of horizontal cracks on the sample which are induced by hydrocarbon generation and expulsion. We discuss how we measured ultrasonic velocities on the shale plug before and after maturation. A significant change in the P-wave anisotropy (ε) is observed after maturation. We will discuss about the TOC measurements and Rock-eval pyrolysis and how the geochemical properties are affected by kerogen maturation. This course also shows how to characterize the changes in the internal structure of the source rock through kerogen maturation by using micro-structural techniques such as SEM imaging and micro-CT scanning.
This presentation discusses one operator’s approach to fully integrate data captured in the Marcellus Shale in order to optimize horizontal well performance. Based upon insight from the study, the operator wanted to make more informed asset management decisions, improve economics, and look for future investment opportunities. A comprehensive study was performed incorporating the data to optimize the design of a horizontal well in the Marcellus Shale. This resulted in an optimized completion strategy for the next horizontal wells, expected to make 80% more production and while reducing the overall completion cost.
The goal of this e-symposium is to review the status of the Mexican upstream sector, and to provide a review of the most prolific and prospective areas in Mexico, with a focus on opportunities for international participation, given the upcoming energy reform in Mexico.
Unger Field, discovered in 1955, has produced 8.6 million barrels of oil from a thinly (several ft) bedded, locally cherty dolomite containing vuggy and intercrystalline porosity. Today, the Siluro–Devonian Hunton Group reservoir is produced from 17 of the original 76 wells at an average rate of 2.6 BOPD. Water cut is high, indicative of a strong water drive. However, as wells are pumped hard oil production can increase, suggesting that bypassed oil remains. Topics to be covered in this e-symposium include: Background on 57-year old Unger Field evaluating potential for bypassed production. Pre-spud analysis Regional and local structure and evaluating well trajectory. Stratigraphic framework of Hunton Dolomite reservoir mapping including flow unit characterization using old well logs. Well planning for soft land the well into top of the pay zone, set casing in pay and and drill out. Results Evaluation while drilling using azimuthal gamma ray, samples, and penetration rate. Post drill well shuttle logging with triple combo and imaging log to characterize fracture cluster and pay interval. Slotted liner completion to isolate the pay interval. Increased oil production from new well and nearby leases. Update on performance and options to further increase production.
A geological exploration of the Colorado Plateau is an opportunity to observe and understand many of the principles that established the science of geology. For those who have not visited the region previously (or have not had the chance to tour it in depth), this field seminar will provide a comprehensive journey into the geological story of this fascinating landscape.

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