Identifying Faults Fractures Seals and Source Integrating Helium Detection and Advanced Surface Logging Data

Helium detection has been part of the surface logging services in oil and gas drilling in specific regions of the world where there are known pockets of accumulation of this gas. The presence of Helium can be identified by extracting gas from drilling fluid as part of continuous real-time gas monitoring while drilling. Helium can appear independent of any increase in hydrocarbon gases or associated with increase in methane in water saturated or dry gas reservoirs or associated with oil and gas from oil producing reservoirs. There are many oil field drilling wells in North America where Helium has been detected while drilling. Most of the Helium detected has been reported in self-sourcing reservoirs which are known source rocks and hydrocarbon producers in unconventionals. This study will show the utilization of measurement and detection of this valuable natural resource in some of the surface logging while drilling projects across unconventional plays in North America. The Helium detected could be corelated to faults, fractures, uranium rich source rocks, porous reservoirs, efficient cap rock, seals and differentiate between tight and porous rocks along vertical and lateral wells drilled in various North American Unconventional plays.