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Rock Mechanics template In a Shale Oil Play, Vaca Muerta Fm, Argentina and Their Impact in the Exploratory Strategy
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, 76th EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2014, Jun 2014, Volume 2014, p.1 - 5
Abstract
Located in the Argentinean Neuquén Basin, the geological formation Vaca Muerta (Thitonian age), became in the last few years a unit that holds a huge potential as an unconventional resources play. Rock mechanics and reservoir characteristics in the Vaca Muerta Fm are extremely heterogeneous. This is due to the differences in depositional environment, petrophysical features and thickness of the unit along the whole basin. In the study area, the thickness of the Thitonian section consists of more than 350 m of marls with variable content of carbonate, quartz and clays. The TOC average in the upper section of the unit is 3.5% and in the lower section is among 6%. In order to understand the productivity behaviour within this formation, a shale rock mechanics template has been developed and implemented. This is done by estimating Lambda-rho/mu-rho for different scenarios, together with the estimation of pseudo brittleness and basic mineralogical characteristics of Vaca Muerta Fm. This work shows a successful integration between wells and seismic data for a shale oil play. The use of rock physics templeate, in an exploration phase, helps improving the understanding of the reservoir mechanical characteristics, optimizing the selection of well location and well completion.