Explorer Emphasis Article

A whole lotta shakin’ is going on – but the matter of human induced seismicity remains a complex and heavily researched mystery.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Emphasis Article

With lower gas prices shale plays look more attractive resulting in increased seismic data to help find that liquid component.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

Sweet sound of success: The spotlight turns to oil in the Bakken shale, and the focus was squarely on the sweet spots.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

A varied technical program that examines both the onshore and offshore activity – and potential – of one of the world’s most prolific regions has been planned for this year’s AAPG Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies annual meeting, which will be held Oct. 10-12 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

The onshore shale petroleum systems of eastern North America will be in the spotlight during the AAPG Eastern Section’s annual meeting, set Sept. 25-29 in Kalamazoo, Mich.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Emphasis Article

“Sweet” smell of success: The Gulf Coast region’s Upper Jurassic Haynesville play continues to be a spotlight-grabbing event.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

Going global: Not all shale gas basins are created equal – but countries all over the world are intrigued by the possibilities.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

Accent on the algae? One geologist says the superior rock properties of the Marcellus Shale may be due to the significant role that algal blooms played in its development.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Emphasis Article

Deeper targets, higher excitement: Industry enthusiasm for shale gas (and oil) plays just keeps escalating – and the interest is going global.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Emphasis Article

Canadians have an appropriately descriptive word to describe both themselves and their country’s energy scene: Resourcefulness.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
VG Abstract

Production from unconventional petroleum reservoirs includes petroleum from shale, coal, tight-sand and oil-sand. These reservoirs contain enormous quantities of oil and natural gas but pose a technology challenge to both geoscientists and engineers to produce economically on a commercial scale. These reservoirs store large volumes and are widely distributed at different stratigraphic levels and basin types, offering long-term potential for energy supply. Most of these reservoirs are low permeability and porosity that need enhancement with hydraulic fracture stimulation to maximize fluid drainage. Production from these reservoirs is increasing with continued advancement in geological characterization techniques and technology for well drilling, logging, and completion with drainage enhancement. Currently, Australia, Argentina, Canada, Egypt, USA, and Venezuela are producing natural gas from low permeability reservoirs: tight-sand, shale, and coal (CBM). Canada, Russia, USA, and Venezuela are producing heavy oil from oilsand. USA is leading the development of techniques for exploring, and technology for exploiting unconventional gas resources, which can help to develop potential gas-bearing shales of Thailand. The main focus is on source-reservoir-seal shale petroleum plays. In these tight rocks petroleum resides in the micro-pores as well as adsorbed on and in the organics. Shale has very low matrix permeability (nano-darcies) and has highly layered formations with differences in vertical and horizontal properties, vertically non-homogeneous and horizontally anisotropic with complicate natural fractures. Understanding the rocks is critical in selecting fluid drainage enhancement mechanisms; rock properties such as where shale is clay or silica rich, clay types and maturation , kerogen type and maturation, permeability, porosity, and saturation. Most of these plays require horizontal development with large numbers of wells that require an understanding of formation structure, setting and reservoir character and its lateral extension. The quality of shale-gas resources depend on thickness of net pay (>100 m), adequate porosity (>2%), high reservoir pressure (ideally overpressure), high thermal maturity (>1.5% Ro), high organic richness (>2% TOC), low in clay (<50%), high in brittle minerals (quartz, carbonates, feldspars), and favourable in-situ stress. During the past decade, unconventional shale and tight-sand gas plays have become an important supply of natural gas in the US, and now in shale oil as well. As a consequence, interest to assess and explore these plays is rapidly spreading worldwide. The high production potential of shale petroleum resources has contributed to a comparably favourable outlook for increased future petroleum supplies globally. Application of 2D and 3D seismic for defining reservoirs and micro seismic for monitoring fracturing, measuring rock properties downhole (borehole imaging) and in laboratory (mineralogy, porosity, permeability), horizontal drilling (downhole GPS), and hydraulic fracture stimulation (cross-linked gel, slick-water, nitrogen or nitrogen foam) is key in improving production from these huge resources with low productivity factors.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)

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