Shale Rock Properties - Extending the Scope of Rock Physics

Traditionally, the emphasis of rock physics in the Petroleum Industry has been on the elastic properties of rocks, with the major area of application in the description and characterisation of reservoirs. The search for unconventional resources does not only lead to an extension of the discipline to the description of less porous and quite often anisotropic media, but also to a reconsideration of inelastic properties which are critical for the deliverability of the reservoir. Questions arise whether experimental techniques proven useful in rock physics calibration can be applied with equal confidence in unconventional reservoirs.