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Creating Economic Value from Porosity and Permeability: Integrating Geology, Reservoir Engineering and Commercial Factors for Evaluation of Unconventional Resource Opportunities
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, IPTC 2013: International Petroleum Technology Conference, Mar 2013, cp-350-00452
Abstract
Comprehensive evaluation of unconventional resource opportunities requires the integration of geologic, engineering, timing, competition, and fiscal factors that influence the commerciality of a project. Although unconventional resources such as Shale Gas, Tight Gas, Tight Oil, and Coal Bed Methane commonly are treated as continuous accumulations, the subsurface and operational considerations that control commerciality vary spatially throughout the play. Evaluation of these resources requires an approach that honors the "continuously varying” nature of the hydrocarbon accumulations. Unconventional resources, particularly natural gas, can have significant influence on local markets. Such effects can challenge areas within plays that have less favorable geologic quality, operational challenges, or costs. As a result, early identification of the geologic sweet spot and optimal project required to exploit the resource is crucial. Integration of subsurface data (geologic, engineering, and well performance) and project data (cost, fiscal, project pace) using a Geographic Information System provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating the commerciality of unconventional resources. Spatial variability within the play, including uncertainty within subplay regions and existing 2 IPTC 17031 well performance, is represented through 1000’s to 100,000’s of physics-based wellperformance simulations. Results of these simulations provide a geologic and reservoir engineering framework onto which project and commercial factors (i.e., rig availability, infrastructure and market capacity, CapEx, and OpEx) can be applied. This integrated approach robustly links geology and engineering to commerciality and project economic value. The technique described here is scalable and can be used to evaluate a single well, a significant acreage position, or an entire play as well as to provide information about the unconventional resource endowment.