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A comprehensive textbook presenting techniques for the analysis and characterization of shale plays
Significant reserves of hydrocarbons cannot be extracted using conventional methods. Improvements in techniques such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have increased access to unconventional hydrocarbon resources, ushering in the "shale boom" and disrupting the energy sector.
Unconventional Hydrocarbon Resources: Techniques for Reservoir Engineering Analysis covers the geochemistry, petrophysics, geomechanics, and economics of unconventional shale oil plays. The text uses a step-by-step approach to demonstrate industry-standard workflows for calculating resource volume and optimizing the extraction process.
Volume highlights include:
* Methods for rock and fluid characterization of unconventional shale plays
* A workflow for analyzing wells with stimulated reservoir volume regions
* An unconventional approach to understanding of fluid flow through porous media
* A comprehensive summary of discoveries of massive shale resources worldwide
* Data from Eagle Ford, Woodford, Wolfcamp, and The Bakken shale plays
* Examples, homework assignments, projects, and access to supplementary online resources
* Hands-on teaching materials for use in petroleum engineering software applications
The American Geophysical Union promotes discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity. Its publications disseminate scientific knowledge and provide resources for researchers, students, and professionals.
List of contents
Contributors xiii
Preface xv
1 Introduction to Unconventional Hydrocarbon Resources 1
Mustafa M. Alhubail and Reza Barati Ghahfarokhi
1.1 Background 1
1.2 Overview of Shale Revolution 2
1.2.1 What Led to the Shale Phenomenon? 3
1.2.2 Importance of Recent Unconventional Resource Discoveries 4
1.3 Basic Definitions and Classifications 5
1.3.1 Conventional and Unconventional Resources 5
1.3.2 Unconventional Oil-Bearing Sediments 6
1.3.3 Unconventional Natural Gas Resources 6
1.4 Global Description of Unconventional Plays 8
1.4.1 North America Unconventional Plays 9
1.4.2 South America Unconventional Plays 20
1.4.3 Europe Unconventional Plays 24
1.4.4 Middle East Unconventional Plays 30
1.4.5 Africa Unconventional Plays 31
1.4.6 Asia Unconventional Plays 33
1.4.7 Australia Unconventional Plays 36
1.5 Unconventional Resources Interpretation Workflow 37
1.5.1 Workflow of Unconventional Reservoirs 37
1.6 Future Projection and Challenges 38
1.7 General Remarks 39
1.8 Problems 39
Additional Reading 40
References 40
2 Petrophysical Properties of Unconventional Reservoirs 45
Negar Nazari, Mustafa M. Alhubail, Sherifa E. Cudjoe, and Reza Barati Ghahfarokhi
2.1 Background 45
2.2 Petrophysics 45
2.2.1 Evaluation of Rock Properties 46
2.2.2 Shale Volume 46
2.2.3 Gamma Ray Spectroscopy 48
2.3 Lithology Evaluation 51
2.3.1 Lithology Measurements Using Cross-Plots 52
2.3.2 Lithology Measurements Using a Combination of Logs 53
2.3.3 Lithology Measurements Using the Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy Techniques 57
2.4 Porosity 58
2.4.1 Porosity Measurement 60
2.4.2 NMR Core Porosity for Shales 71
2.5 Pore-Size Distribution 75
2.5.1 Pore-Size Distribution Using NMR Logging 75
2.5.2 Pore-Size Distribution Using Nitrogen Adsorption 78
2.6 Permeability 80
2.6.1 Unsteady-State Permeability Measurement Methods 81
2.6.2 Single Phase Permeability Measurements 89
2.6.3 NMR Permeability 91
2.6.4 Relative Permeability 95
2.6.5 NMR Capillary Pressure 99
2.6.6 Relative Permeability from NMR Pseudocapillary Pressure 99
2.7 Saturation 100
2.7.1 Techniques for Calculating Water Saturation 100
2.7.2 Resistivity Logs 100
2.7.3 NMR Saturation Estimation 104
2.8 Wettability 105
2.8.1 Wettability Measurement 105
2.9 Hydrocarbon Pore Volume and Reserve Estimation 110
2.9.1 Volumetric Analysis Theory 110
2.10 Problems 115
Additional Reading 117
References 117
3 Petroleum Geochemistry in Organic-Rich Shale Reservoirs 131
Sherifa E. Cudjoe, Mustafa M. Alhubail, and Reza Barati Ghahfarokhi
3.1 Background 131
3.2 Evolution of Organic Matter 131
3.2.1 Diagenesis 132
3.2.2 Catagenesis 132
3.2.3 Metagenesis 133
3.3 Total Organic Carbon (TOC) 133
3.4 Kerogen, Bitumen, and/or Pyrobitumen 134
3.4.1 Classification of Kerogen 136
3.5 Vitrinite Reflectance 138
3.6 Solid Bitumen Reflectance 139
3.7 Organic Porosity 140
3.8 Methods of Determining Source Rock Potential 142
3.8.1 Direct Combustion 143
3.8.2 Indirect Method 143
3.8.3 Rock-Eval Pyrolysis Method 143
3.8.4 In-Situ Measur
About the author
Reza Barati, University of Kansas, USA
Mustafa M. Alhubail, University of Kansas, USA
