Shale Gas: Research needs from a European perspective Maria Barrio, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Technology for a better society

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Maria Barrio, SINTEF Petroleum GTS Seminar, 27th May 2014

Shale Gas: Research needs from a European perspective

Technology for a better society

Conventional and unconventional oil and gas

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Source: America’s New Energy Future: The Unconventional Oil and Gas Revolution and the US Economy. Volume 1: National Economic Contributions. An HIS Report. October 2012.

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• Shale gas
• Shale oil
• Non-shale un-conventionals
• Tight gas
• Coal bed methane
• Methane hydrates
• Tar sand (Canada)
• Heavy oil (Venezuela) – is this unconventional?
• Gas-to-liquid (GTL)
• Coal-to-liquid (CTL)

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What is "unconventional"?

Tight oil ≠ Shale oil Resources ≠ Economically recoverable resources

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Source: IEA Energy Technology Perspectives, 2012

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Source: IEA Energy Technology Perspectives, 2012

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Source: World Energy Outlook 2013

Technology for a better society

Source: World Energy Outlook 2013

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Technology for a better society

1: Shale gas is a transnational issue

Major unconventional natural gas resources in Europe

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Public perception 2: Need for independent research based knowledge

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The role of SINTEF

• SINTEF, as a non-commercial foundation, is able and willing to provide objective
• information. To be in that position, insight in the technical issues is absolutely

necessary.

• SINTEF will provide independent research based knowledge for the industry,

public, politicians and decision makers. Public perception is a critical issue for all decision makers, and the public and politicians should get access to credible information sources.

• In those areas where unconventional O&G activities are undertaken, there is also a

need for independent R&D in order to ensure continuous efforts to develop and use technology with less environmental impact.

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Technology for a better society

VERSUS

3: Not possible to copy US shale gas production

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• Assessment of shale gas potential
• Technology for safe exploitation
• Environmental impact & footprint
• Energy and carbon efficiencies
• Regulations, market and policy issues
• Public perception

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Multiple disciplines in Shale Gas

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13 * Output maps:

• Total organic carbon (TOC)
• Hydrogen index (HI)
• Accu. thickness (m) of organic facies classes

C15+ ARO NSO C15+ SAT

Primary Migration Generation Reservoir

* Natural fracturing and pressure modeling in shale gas

Seismic interpretation Well data Rock properties TOC from logs using OF-MOD Petroleum System Modelling using SEMI Reconstruction of geopressure using SEMI-Pressim* Estimate expulsion and retention processes of HC in gas shales using SEMI PriMig

Our modelling workflow strategic development

Source rock modelling on basin scale using OF- MOD* Sensitivity and risk analysis

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• Industrial challenges:
• Increase recovery and extend production plateau of producing reservoirs
• Reduce environmental footprints to a public acceptable minimum
• This requires new technology for:
• Characterization of low permeability heterogeneous reservoirs
• Drilling of horizontal & well sealed wells
• Optimized & controlled fracturing
• Monitoring of fracturing operations and reservoir scale recovery

Gas & Oil Shale Production

Particle model for layers in shale

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• In situ matrix & fracture system permeability from laboratory measurements and

geomechanically coupled reservoir simulation

• Adsorbed vs. free gas vs. bound water vs. free water…
• Water- Shale interaction?
• Role of shale anisotropy
• A multi-scale challenge!

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New Technology for Characterization of low permeability heterogeneous reservoirs

m mm µm nm

Optical microscope SEM SEM / TEM

FIB/SEM analysis of Mancos Shale (Torsæter et al., SINTEF, SPE 2012) →

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• Borehole stability has to be assured
• Drillability in hard rock may be an issue
• Long term sealing is essential, requires high cement quality

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Drilling of horizontal & well sealed wells

Experimental tests with small samples

• Fast triaxial tests on cm size samples
• Uniaxial & Shale punch tests on mm size

samples (e.g. drill cuttings)

• Core scratch & ultrasonic velocities to assess

shale strength

Borehole collapse in hollow cylinder test performed at SINTEF Illustration of undamaged small core sections (orange) vs. damaged large samples (white) In-house developed shale punch test holder for mm size samples

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Mancos Shale (5000 frames per second, Orientation 15°) Mancos Shale (200 frames per second, Orientation 60°)

Nat Simpson, MSc project 2013 + Gas Shale SIP; ARMA 2014

Lab Example of fracture initiation: Brazilian tests with high speed camera + AE

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Fracturing in a naturally-fractured formation: Anisotropic in-situ stresses

• Fractures run

approximately normal to the minimum in-situ stress.

• The simulation ends with

a fracture breakthrough to the boundary of the model.

1 MPa 1 MPa 2 MPa 2 MPa

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Well integrity

• Improved materials and procedures

for remediation of well leakages

• Diagnostics of well failure

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Technology for a better society

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Thanks to the Gas Technology Centre for support to EERA Shale Gas participation