ABOUT COURSE

This 5-day course is focused on new knowledge required by petrophysicists, engineers and geologist and to evaluate and exploit unconventional reservoirs. Characteristics of unconventional reservoirs are low porosity, extremely low permeability, a need for stimulation and disseminated rather than pooled hydrocarbons.  Unconventional shale resources are typically found in strongly anisotropic shales throughout the world. A growing body of knowledge suggests that only 25% of the areal extent of a shale reservoir is considered the “sweet spot.” While the course will be primarily focused on shales, discussions and learnings from tight sand reservoirs are also included. Emphasis will be placed on information and measurements derived from core and new technologies applied to the measurement of shale properties. Geochemical discussion will cover kerogen types, maturity, vitrinite reflection, Tmax, Langmuir isotherms, and pyrolysis analyses as well as newer FTIR methods. Newer technologies such as FTIR, BET, NMR, FIB/SEM as well as classical MICP, sonics are covered. A review of conventional log applications to shales will be complimented with new spectroscopic and NMR offerings. Log and lab based evaluation of geomechanical properties of shales are discussed as inputs to hydraulic fracture stimulation. A review of microseismic capabilities and learnings will be presented. Integration of these measurements into to a suggested evaluation workflow and an approach to field evaluation will be presented. New learnings highlight the heterogeneity of shale reservoirs.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Petrophysicists, engineers and geologist.

COURSE CONTENT

1. OVERVIEW OF CURRENT STATE-OF-THE-ART IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF SHALES 

2. MACRO, MICRO AND NANO- SCALE ANALYSES OF SHALE RESOURCES 

3. FUNDAMENTALS OF PETROPHYSICS 

4. FUNDAMENTALS OF SHALE PETROPHYSICS 

5. LIMITATIONS OF IMAGE ANALYSIS AS APPLIED TO SHALES 

6. CHARACTERISTICS OF BETTER SHALE RESERVOIR CHARACTERISTICS 

7. UNDERSTANDING OF THE MICROSTRUCTURAL INFLUENCE ON PETROPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SHALE 

8. INTERPRET MICP, NMR, FTIR, NANOINDENTATION DATA FROM SHALES 

9. INTERPRET PYROLYSIS AND OTHER GEOCHEMICAL DATA FROM SHALES 

10. LIMITATIONS OF PERMEABILITY MEASUREMENTS IN SHALE 

11. UNDERSTAND HETEROGENEITY OF SHALES 

12. QUALITY CONTROL PETROPHYSICAL MEASUREMENTS 

13. INTERPRETATION OF LANGMUIR ISOTHERMS 

14. CALCULATING TOC FROM LOGS 

15. ESTIMATING BRITTLENESS FROM LOGS, CALCULATING CLOSURE STRESSES 

16. UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MICROSEISMICS ARE USEFUL FOR 

17. QUICK SCANNING WITH XRF 

18. WORK FLOWS FOR EVALUATION OF SHALE PLAYS 

19. ASSESSMENT OF PREFERRED LOGGING SUITS