Determining the main drivers in hydrocarbon production from shale using advanced data-driven analytics – A case study in Marcellus shale

Shahab D. Mohaghegh
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引用次数: 5

Abstract

Is it the quality of the formation or the quality of the completion that determines or controls the productivity of a shale well? In this paper we attempt to address this important question. We present a case study using a fit-for-purpose approach with no attempt to generalize the final conclusions. The analysis presented in this article is based on field measurements. No assumptions are made regarding the physics of the storage and/or the transport phenomena in shale. Our objective is to let the data speak for itself.

The case study includes a large number of wells in a Marcellus shale asset in the northeast of the United States. Characteristics such as net thickness, porosity, water saturation, and TOC are used to qualitatively classify the formations surounding each well. Furthermore, wells are classified based on their productivity. We examine the hypothesis that reservoir quality has a positive correlation with the well productivity (wells completed in shale with better reservoir quality will demonstrate better productivity). The data from the field will either confirm or dispute this hypothesis.

If confirmed, then it may be concluded that completion practices have not harmed the productivity and are, in general, in harmony with the reservoir characteristics. The next step in the analysis is to determine the dominant trends in the completion and judge them as best practices. However, if and when the hypothesis is disproved (wells completed in shale with better reservoir quality will NOT demonstrate better productivity), one can and should conclude that completion practices are the main culprit for the lack of better production from better quality shale. In this case, analysis of the dominant trends in the completion practices should be regarded as identifying the practices that need to be modified.

Results of this study show that production from shale challenges many of our preconceived notions. It shows that the impact of completion practices in low quality shale are quite different from those of higher quality shale. In other words, completion practices that results in good production in low quality shale are not necessarily just as good for higher quality shale. Results of this study will clearly demonstrate that when it comes to completion practices in shale, “One-Size-fit-All” is a poor prescription.

Abstract Image

利用先进的数据驱动分析技术确定页岩油气生产的主要驱动因素——以Marcellus页岩为例
究竟是地层质量还是完井质量决定或控制了页岩井的产能?在本文中,我们试图解决这个重要的问题。我们提出了一个案例研究,使用适合目的的方法,没有试图概括最终结论。本文的分析是根据现场测量结果进行的。没有对页岩中储存和/或运输现象的物理特性进行假设。我们的目标是让数据自己说话。该案例研究包括美国东北部Marcellus页岩资产的大量井。利用净厚度、孔隙度、含水饱和度和TOC等特征对每口井周围的地层进行定性分类。此外,根据产能对井进行分类。我们检验了储层质量与油井产能正相关的假设(在页岩中完井的储层质量越好,产能越好)。来自实地的数据将证实或反驳这一假设。如果得到证实,则可以得出结论,完井作业没有损害产能,并且总体上与油藏特征相一致。分析的下一步是确定完井的主要趋势,并将其判断为最佳实践。然而,如果假设被推翻(在储层质量更好的页岩中完井并不会显示出更高的产能),那么我们就可以得出结论:完井作业是导致优质页岩产量不足的罪魁祸首。在这种情况下,对完井实践中主要趋势的分析应该被视为确定需要修改的实践。这项研究的结果表明,页岩气的生产挑战了我们许多先入为主的观念。研究表明,低质量页岩完井作业的影响与高质量页岩完井作业的影响存在较大差异。换句话说,在低质量页岩中获得良好产量的完井方法并不一定适用于高质量页岩。这项研究的结果将清楚地表明,当涉及到页岩完井实践时,“一刀切”是一个糟糕的处方。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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