Course overview
This course will provide an overview of the key issues and methods relevant to the exploration, assessment and development of unconventional reservoirs. The course will focus on application of geomechanics in CSG, tight gas and shale gas, deliverability and production forecasting; field development planning; and reserve estimation/economics of unconventional reservoirs.
Course learning outcomes
- Understand and describe unique geological characteristics of unconventional resources
- Understand, describe and apply principles of geomechanics to unconventional reservoirs including earth stresses, basic rock mechanical properties, fracturing mechanics, well-bore stability and hydraulic fracturing as pertaining to CSG, tight gas and shale gas reservoirs
- Understand and describe key properties of coal seam gas (CSG), tight gas and shale gas reservoirs based on log and general reservoir characteristics
- Understand, describe and apply key reservoir engineering concepts to CSG, tight gas and shale gas reservoirs
- Understand, describe and apply the proper application of well testing and diagnostic fracture injection testing in reservoir characterisation and stress profiling for unconventional reservoirs
- Understand, describe and apply the fundamentals of hydraulic fracturing design, apply principles to resource optimisation
- Understand, describe and apply analytical or numerical methods for production forecasting and well stimulation optimisation
- Understand, describe and apply principles for determining recoverable and unrecoverable resources for unconventional reservoirs
- Understand, describe and apply economic evaluation to resource and reserve estimation for unconventional reservoirs
- Understand and describe social impact and technical risk assessments required for developing unconventional reservoirs
- Demonstrate the ability to develop a reservoir description, resource assessment, estimated stress profile, well completion design, optimised hydraulic fracture design, and uncertainties and recommendations by successful completion of a case study written assignment on an unconventional resource (e.g., CSG, tigh gas, or shale gas reservoir TBD)