OBJECTIVE:
UNCONVENTIONAL GAS RESOURCE (SHALE GAS AND TIGHT GAS)
ESTIMATION IN OIL’s OPERATIONAL AREAS IN ASSAM-ARAKAN (NE
INDIA) AND RAJASTHAN BASIN.
REQUIREMENT TO MEET THE OBJECTIVE:
• Screening of unconventional gas, i.e. shale gas, tight gas etc., reservoirs
with the help of OIL’s available data in Assam-Arakan (North-East) &
Rajasthan Basin, India
• Planning of a pilot well drilling program by selecting candidate
unconventional gas reservoirs/locations for additional data collection
• A broad techno-economic feasibility study for exploitation of shale
gas/tight gas in Assam-Arakan and Rajasthan basin based on data
gathered through the study
THE STUDY SHALL BE CARRIED OUT IN THREE PHASES
PHASE I
DATA COLLECTION : Collection of available geochemical data, well
data, seismic,
well logs, and regional data
BASIN SCREENING AND PROSPECT IDENTIFICATION : High level
initial basin screening with an aim to rank the unconventional gas plays and to
determine the production fairways
Screening criteria:
• Organic richness and thermal maturity of the shale sequences,
• Thickness of the kerogen-rich interval,
• To recognize kerogen-rich shale units having reasonable potential for
commercial development as shale gas/tight gas reservoirs
• Identification of petrophysical signatures indicative of shale gas/tight gas
prospects,
• Likelihood of natural and induced fracturing, determined subjectively
• Potential barriers to hydraulic fracturing, or water-saturated zones, in
adjacent strata.
PHASE I (continued)
Methodology :
• Petrophysical analysis of representative wells (at least 30 nos.) and cores
to assess prospectivity based on known producing shale characteristics
• Quantitative Well logs analysis of key wells for finding : clay type and
clay content of the rocks, Total organic content, total & effective porosity,
permeability & water saturation
• Analysis of existing 2-D and 3-D seismic for potential indicators of
unconventional gas prospectivity including presence of natural factures,
thickness and 'fracability'.
• Structural mapping on prospective shale sequences from seismic and well
data
• Isopach map of prospective shale sequences from well data
• 'Play' maps highlighting areas of maximum prospectivity by shale
interval
•
PHASE I (continued)
Prospect identification and Ranking:
• Identification of Top 5 unconventional gas prospects on OIL’s Acreage
• Detailed Petrophysical analysis and calculation of key parameters related
to matrix, adsorbed and natural fracture related hydrocarbons in-place
• Modeling of range of effects of hydraulic fracturing on target shale
reservoirs
• Mapping of extent of Prospects based on all available data
PHASEII
Planning of a pilot well drilling program for additional data acquisition:
• Design of Pilot program for evaluation of unconventional gas prospect
• Capture of data on the prospective shale sequences, including whole core
•
PHASE II (continued)
• Running of full logging suites including image logs, to be calibrated with
the core to identity the lithology, TOC matrix, and natural fracture
systems present and the optimal logging suite for future wells
• Detailed Hydraulic Fracturing program. Determine how the sequences
respond to hydraulic fracturing using fracture injection tests and other
testing program and through micro-seismics
• Production Testing Program
PHASE III
A techno-economic feasibility study based on data gathered through
PHASE I AND PHASEII studies for exploitation of unconventional gas in the
Assam-Arakan and Rajasthan basin
Completion timeline of the study is worked out as follows:
• Tender floating & closing : 30days
• Contract awarding formalities : 34 days
• Phase I Study : 72 days
• Phase II study : 10 days
• Phase III Study : 10days
• Final Report submission : 10 days
• Total duration : (64 + 102) = 166 days
Expected bidders :
1. Schlumberger Asia Services Ltd 2. Halliburton Export Company Pte
Ltd
3. Advanced Well Technologies Pty Ltd 4. Baker Huges Singapore Pte
5. Weatherford Oil Tool M. E. Ltd 6. Advanced Resources International
7. Fugro Robertson Limited 8. Weinman GeoScience (Global
Geophysical)
9. INTEK, Inc
What is shale gas?
Shale gas is natural gas produced from reservoirs predominantly composed of
shale with lesser amounts of other fine grained rocks.
Natural gas formation takes place in shale source rocks. Continued pressure
from burial forces most of the gas to migrate from shale into more porous and
permeable rock.
Natural gas remaining in shale source rock is termed shale gas.
Shale Resource System: a self contained petroleum system
Shales are both the source rocks and the reservoir for the natural gas, which is
stored in three ways:
1. Adsorbed gas on molecules– is the gas stored by molecular attraction to
the surface of the organic material present in the shale.
1. Trapped in the pore spaces of the fine-grained sediments,
1. Confined in fractures within the shale itself
Charecteristics of Shale Gas Reservoirs
Low production rates but cover large areas.
Long production life.
Low decline – generally less than 5% per year (typically 2-3%)
Contain large reserves.
Why Shale Gas?
Because
it generally out perform conventional in terms of length of production.
- gas prices and technologies are turning it a possible venture.
Exploration and Exploitation of Shale Gas
Is similar to exploration for conventional resources.
Target is shale formations with interbedded porous and permeable fine-
grained sediments and natural fracture system.
Drilling and production are almost similar to conventional system.
Due to lack of permability gas shale always require fracture stimulation
and higher well density.
Commercial production sensitive to drilling and completion costs.
Process requires
Review of existing information
Surveys to locate and define subsurface features capable of
trapping natural gas
Drilling to test subsurface for the presence of hydrocarbons
Logging to determine porosity, permeability and gas and fluid
composition.