Adaptation of Modern Techniques in Economic Exploitation of Unconventional Gas Reservoirs in the Emerging Regions

Abstract

Although the reported potential unconventional gas resource volumes in emerging regions (Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia) are almost similar or higher in size to North America, the exploitation of such resources has been very limited. Using North America as an analogy, unconventional gas production is proposed to drastically increase globally in upcoming decades. However, many challenges are associated with developing and evaluating unconventional resources. Exploitation of tight-gas plays borrows extensively from a suite of technologies that are already available within the conventional oil and gas industry. However, there are several aspects of unconventional reservoirs that make them difficult to understand. New techniques are compulsory to demonstrate and evaluate this new era of hydrocarbon resource exploration. Highly specialized designs and an integrated approach of all technologies are essential to unlocking these significant unconventional resources. Accomplishing efficient tight gas stimulation also requires paradigm shifts from what is currently being performed, particularly in the emerging regions, as most of the hydraulic fracturing processes presently being used heavily depend on large volumes of available water, and water scarcity is historical in many of these areas. This paper highlights challenges associated with developing tight gas resources and the role of cutting-edge technologies to answer several pertinent questions about unconventional reservoirs. Also provided is a technical overview of the best strategies for field development to capitalize on the promising potential of these reservoirs. Additionally, alternative approaches are proposed that appear to be imperative to enhance the current stimulation technologies for tight gas formations. This can act as an enabler to address challenges presented by unconventional resources in the emerging regions and harness the trapped energy, which can work as a cornerstone to fuel the economic growth of the world.