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Evaluating Shale Oil and Gas Reservoirs

Evaluating Shale Oil and Gas Reservoirs, Five Days

This five‐day class provides an extensive introduction to the exploration, appraisal, and development of shale oil and gas reservoirs. It identifies the data that needs to be collected, how to analyze and interpret them, and how to integrate and apply this knowledge to the decision‐making process. Participants will develop a broad understanding of the practices and pitfalls in assessing these reservoirs, and will reinforce this knowledge by analyzing case study posters as teams.

Who Should Attend

This course is intended for geoscientists, petrophysicists, engineers, and managers who are seeking a comprehensive introduction to these reservoirs. It is appropriate for those with no previous experience in these reservoirs, those that have some experience and want to broaden their understanding, and more experienced hands that want exposure to some of the most recent technologies and practices.

What Participants Are Saying:
“Extremely wide ranging information summarized in a concise manner”
“Great. Lots of excellent resources/references provided.”
“Course was an excellent introduction to unconventional resource plays for the uninitiated.”

Course Content

  1. Introduction: Worldwide impact of shale, evolution of technical understanding
  2. Geology: Origin of organic‐rich shales, stratigraphy, sedimentology, fractures
  3. Geochemistry: Kerogen types, TOC, pyrolysis, thermal maturity, isotherms
  4. Geophysics: Utility of 3‐D seismic, attribute analysis, microseismic
  5. Petrophysics: Routine and special core analyses, log analyses, outstanding issues
  6. Geomechanics: Mechanical properties, stress calculations, impact on completion design
  7. Drilling and Completions: Drilling practices, fluids, proppants, hydraulic fracturing
  8. Well Performance: Well testing, flow regimes, well modeling, rate‐time relations
  9. Resources/Reserves: SPE‐PRMS guidance, data and analyses for underpinning bookings
  10. Commercial Aspects: Company strategies, future trends, global opportunities
  11. Identifying Sweetspots: Key data to collect and apply, success criteria and exit ramps
  12. Case Study Exercises (posters)
    a. Shale gas: Barnett, Haynesville, Fayetteville, Montney, Antrim shales
    b. Shale oil: Bakken, Woodford, Eagle Ford, Marcellus, Niobrara shales

Download a PDF of the course description