Exploring Shale Basins using Existing Wells

Pitcher, Jason L.; Kwong, Kwok-Shan; Yarus, Jeffrey M.; Mullen, Michael

doi:10.2118/152579-ms

Cited by 7 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Pitcher et al (2012) and Chorn et al (2013a and2013b) have shown a methodology for selecting the best locations for vertical well placement and have validated guidance using production histories from wells in the study area. This paper extends the application to the placement of horizontal wellbore in the play.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Optimizing Lateral Lengths in Horizontal Wells for a Heterogeneous Shale Play

Chorn

Stegent

Yarus

2014

Day 2 Wed, February 26, 2014

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A successful evaluation and development program in oil-and gas-bearing shales requires considerable analysis and investment, not to mention optimization to help ensure a profitable outcome. Accelerating optimization, reducing capital expenditures, and improving lifecycle net present value (NPV) for the asset are reasonable goals. Seven shale properties are key drivers to help achieve successful play economics. However, the heterogeneity of shales makes well location selection difficult without appraisal well logs and geostatistical mapping of shale property quality. The analysis method allows operators to quickly high-grade areas within a large, heterogeneous shale play using logging suites from a limited number of wellbores in the play. Further, the methodology has been extended to quantify the play's potential reward versus risk distribution for in-fill drilling investments. This study extends the method to optimizing lateral lengths of horizontal wells. Geostatistics provides a means to determine correlation lengths of aggregate shale properties known to be critical to successful economics. The correlation length is used to determine the appropriate length of the horizontal well lateral, restricting it within the highest rock quality for stimulation effectiveness and production rates. Because optimal lateral lengths can be predicted using this approach, it is now possible to pinpoint the best wellhead location, the best landing point for the horizontal portion of the well, and set the optimal length of the lateral. This reduces the drilling of unproductive lateral lengths and targets stimulations. By shortening the "trial-and-error" evaluation lifecycle stage using this methodology, an operator can develop an asset more quickly and at less cost than with previous approaches.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Optimizing Lateral Lengths in Horizontal Wells for a Heterogeneous Shale Play

Chorn

Stegent

Yarus

2014

Day 2 Wed, February 26, 2014

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“…Because of this, cased-hole logging methodologies, such as those presented by Pitcher et al (2012) and Dingding et al (2004) for the generation of a set of curved-type triple combo synthetic from cased hole and a set of neural networks, were applied to complete the set of necessary minimum curves for an evaluation of the reservoir and selection of the zones to stimulate.…”

Section: Loggingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conditioning Pre-existing Old Vertical Wells to Stimulate and Test Vaca Muerta Shale Productivity through the Application of Pinpoint Completion Techniques

Forni¹,

Bonapace

Kovalenko

et al. 2015

SPE Middle East Oil &Amp; Gas Show and Conference

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One of the most promising targets for resource rock stimulation in South America is the Vaca Muerta (VM) shale in western Argentina. Because of high initial costs and also the typical reservoir information that must be acquired, it is common practice for operators to begin exploration projects with vertical wells. This is also the case for unconventional reservoirs, so initial vertical wells are used for reservoir characterization/initial comprehension and also to test the productivity of the different intervals.Within the Neuquina basin, existing vertical wells were typically drilled to produce reservoirs below the VM source rock. Presently, with these reservoirs depleted in many areas, existing wells are often a great opportunity to investigate this upper unconventional target. Unfortunately, most of these wells are not viable candidates because they were designed to be completed through tubing. Casings and wellheads, in general, are not sufficiently strong to support pressure requirements for fracture stimulation of unconventional reservoirs. This paper discusses the preparation of a well originally drilled in 1974 to allow for the new objective of hydraulic fracturing the VM shale to test the productivity of its different intervals. A coiled tubing (CT) assisted pinpoint completion technique (hydrajet perforating and annulus fracturing) was used to independently stimulate small intervals. To help assure that most of the reservoir was indeed stimulated, 12 single-zone fracturing stages were used for 130 meters of gross interval.To isolate the upper (weakest) section of the wellbore, a 4 1/2-in. P-110 casing and swellable packer were installed.

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“…Recently Chorn et al (2013), Pitcher et al (2012) and others (Naides 2010, Hashmy et al 2011, Baihly 2010, and LeCompte 2009) have begun to quantify the impact and propose operational responses.…”

Section: Literature Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Geostatistically-generated property quality map of a 36 mile 2 shale play(Pitcher, et al 2012). Production per 100' of lateral (mcf)…”

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confidence: 99%

Shale Play Development Program Using Risk-Reward Mapping from Geospatial Analyses

Chorn

Yarus

Rosario-davis

2013

SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition

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Finding the best drilling locations in an extensive shale play holding is key to achieving production profile expectations and good economic metrics. Shale plays have been described as statistical plays. However, it becomes increasingly unacceptable to drill disappointing, underperforming wells as the operator and partners move from the exploration lifecycle stage into the appraisal and field development stages.The physical and chemical properties of shales dictate the economic success of development drilling programs. It is recognized that at least seven parameters must fall within empirically-determined ranges for a play to have economic production rates and estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) exceeding threshold internal rate of return (IRR) requirements.A geostatistical shale property workflow that high-grades 160-acre sections in a regional shale play, using a limited number of wellbores with standard logging suites is demonstrated. This paper extends the workflow from high-grading drilling targets to quantitative risk assessment. An application of the workflow to a multi-square mile U.S. shale play illustrates the analysis and its interpretation. The example shows that down-spacing well density in high-graded sections (high potential reward) is a quantitatively lower risk investment program than would normally be expected. Typically high reward opportunities, in the investment world, are expected to represent higher risk as well. Geostatistical analysis in the example play shows just the opposite behavior because the statistical nature of the local shale quality can be mapped and profitably drilled.Exploiting this geostatistical, high-grading workflow can accelerate an operator's development program with higher rewards, lower risk, and better rates of return than pursuing a uniform development program over a large regional play.

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Exploring Shale Basins using Existing Wells

Cited by 7 publications

References 10 publications

Optimizing Lateral Lengths in Horizontal Wells for a Heterogeneous Shale Play

Optimizing Lateral Lengths in Horizontal Wells for a Heterogeneous Shale Play

Conditioning Pre-existing Old Vertical Wells to Stimulate and Test Vaca Muerta Shale Productivity through the Application of Pinpoint Completion Techniques

Shale Play Development Program Using Risk-Reward Mapping from Geospatial Analyses

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