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Coupled Flow-Geomechanical-Geophysical-Geochemical

(F3G) Analysis of Tight GaProductionPROJECT FACT SHEET

Program

Research ObjectivesThis study will provide new knowledge for application by the oil and gas industry, including how to designoptimized productionsystems, the underlyingrelationship between changesin the pressure regime 2008Unconventional ResourcesProgram

Project Number

08122-45

Start Date

June 2010

Duration

36 Months

RPSEA Share

$2,863,500

Cost Share

$750,000

Prime Contractor

and the geomechanical status of a tight gas system, the long-term behavior of the induced and natufracture systems and the effect on production, and the possible geophysical markers that can track evolution of the fow properties and fracture characteristics of the reservoir. This will allow enhancedsystem monitoring and prediction of long-term behavior during production, provide improved well a

well stimulation designs, and generate improved pressure/production curves.

Approach

In this project, the team will: a) develop and implement an integrated methodology for constructinggeomechanical models of tight gas systems (shale); b) investigate by means of theoretical analysisnumerical simulation, laboratory studies and feld experiments the interrelation between thegeomechanical and geophysical behavior of such systems in the course of well completion andstimulation; and c) develop models of the coupled fow, geomechanical, geophysical, and geochembehavior of fractured tight gas systems from the earliest stages of well stimulation to long-termproduction. The results will be communicated to industry through publications in high-visibility journinterest to the oil and gas industry, and presentations at industry-related conferences and events.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Participants

Texas A&M University; Stanford

University; Baker Hughes Incorporated;Unconventional Gas Resources Inc.

Contact Information

Dr. Thomas Blasingamet-blasingame@tamu.edu979.845.2292

Dr. Mark Zobackzoback@stanford.edu650.725.9295

Charlotte Schroeder

cschroeder@rpsea.org

281.690.5506

Reports and Publications

The project has, to date, sponsored

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lation capabilities

To describe the non-isothermal Darcian and non-Darcian fow of (a) multi-component dry

and water through fractured media, including Knudsen diffusion (members of the TOUGHfamily of codes)

To describe coupled fow and geomechanics in the TOUGH+ family of codes with both eand plastic capabilities

To describe fracture development and evolution using mixed fnite element methods (Pstudy)

To provide semi-analytical solutions to the problem of fow through shale systems using Transformational Decomposition method and (b) fractal theory

Using these advanced codes and expanded grid generation capabilities

Analyzed the physics of fow through fractured media for shale gas production

Investigated compositional changes in production of gas from shales

Investigated the effects of fracture orientation on gas production from shales

Evaluated the performance of alternative stimulation and completion methods on shale production

Developed a new earthquake relocation algorithm for improved microseismic modeling ofhydrofracturing operations.Developed the underlying theory for the use of a new type of waves (Krauklis waves) to deterfracture properties and characteristics, and conducted laboratory studies to confrm their exis

seven graduate students and resulted inour journal articles, twelve conferencepapers, and 17 presentations.

See RPSEAs website for more info.

Signifcant Findings

Stencil simulations provide a very accurate description of the behavior of the entire shale gasystem.

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ularity of nonplanar and nonorthogonal hydraulic fractures can signifcantly affect reservoir performance.

Secondary fractures emanating from

hydrofractures evolve very shortly after the onset of production. The standard stimulation meconsistently superior to the drill slot approach.Knudsen diffusion and non-Darcian fow can have considerable effects on predictions of gasproduction from shales.The composition of the produced gas is affected by the pore size of the medium (as describedporosity and permeability) and evolves over time.Microseismic events appear to be only a very small component of subsurface activities, with thof energy dispensed in aseismic (and non-detectable) phenomena.

RPSEA Confrmed existence of the Krauklis waves and provided a basis for the design of a new methtracking fracture propagation during fracturing. The unique properties of such waves is that (a

www.rpsea.org

281.313.95556-21-11

hey only travel along fractures, (b) can be formed at any time (unlike microseismic events) usingappropriate excitation, and (c) can provide through inversion information on fracture properties andcharacteristics.