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Method for evaluation of hydrocarbon content of shale

Inactive Publication Date: 2012-12-13
CONOCOPHILLIPS CO
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0019]In one embodiment, a method for evaluating the volume of hydrocarbon gas or liquid in a shale deposit comprises combining known kerogen density and / or kerogen porosity values with log data in a mathematical analysis to derive directly values for kerogen volume, total porosity and water content. Kerogen volume can be either solid kerogen volume or porous kerogen volume; since the kerogen porosity is known, either value can easily be derived from the other.
[0042]This further embodiment has the advantage that it eliminates one of the feedback loops which might otherwise used to put bounds around the results. This is explained in more detail later.

Problems solved by technology

Such unconventional resources, however, present challenges not only in their extraction but also in the analysis of a deposit to determine its hydrocarbon content.
The evaluation of shale resources, especially shale gas resources, is challenging because of a variety of factors including low values of porosity and permeability, and complicated and variable mineralogy.
Finally, the formations normally contain trace amounts of uranium and other radioactive elements which can render the Gamma-Ray log essentially useless for quantitative interpretation of clay content.
However, the volume of kerogen, which is one of the most important parameters, cannot be determined with the spectral tools due to the presence of carbon in various minerals as well as in the kerogen.
The method requires knowledge of the maturity of the organic material, and it is less accurate for sediments that are over-mature, such as shale gas formations.
These methods require multiple input curves that increase the cost of data acquisition and complexity of data analysis.
These methods do not distinguish between porosity of the mineral matrix and porosity contained within the kerogen.
The principal disadvantage of this technique is the reliance on abundant core data in a given formation.

Method used

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  • Method for evaluation of hydrocarbon content of shale
  • Method for evaluation of hydrocarbon content of shale
  • Method for evaluation of hydrocarbon content of shale

Examples

Experimental program
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example 1

[0128]FIG. 4 shows a plot for a ConocoPhillips field location which will be referred to as field location A. This plot shows measured and computed logs which are detailed further in Table 2 below. The solid computed lines were obtained using a RHOB-DT model according to the first, third and fourth embodiments; the dashed lines were obtained using a RHOB-NPHI model according to the second, third and fourth embodiments. Where there is more than one label, the upper label for each track is the name of data from core samples, which are shown as open circles on the respective track. The middle and lower labels represent data from the RHOB-DT and RHOB-NPHI models, respectively. For each track the scale is indicated at the top; this scale is reproduced in Table 3 since it can be hard to read in the Figure.

[0129]FIG. 4 shows the excellent correlation between the derived results with core data, shown as open circles on the plot. FIGS. 5 and 6, relating to Examples 2 and 3 below, also show go...

example 2

[0130]FIG. 5 shows a plot for a ConocoPhillips field location which will be referred to as field location B. This plot shows measured and computed logs whose details are given in Table 3 above The solid computed lines were obtained using a RHOB-DT model according to the first, third and fourth embodiments; the dashed lines were obtained using a RHOB-NPHI model according to the second, third and fourth embodiments.

example 3

[0131]FIG. 5 shows a plot for a ConocoPhillips field location which will be referred to as field location C. This plot shows measured and computed logs whose details are given in Table 3 above. The solid computed lines were obtained using a RHOB-DT model according to the first, third and fourth embodiments; the dashed lines were obtained using a RHOB-NPHI model according to the second, third and fourth embodiments.

EXAMPLE b 4

[0132]FIG. 10 shows a plot for a ConocoPhillips field location which will be referred to as field location D. This plot shows measured and computed logs similar to those of the previous examples. The computed lines were obtained using a methodology according to the fifth embodiment.

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Abstract

The invention relates to the evaluation of hydrocarbon gas or liquid deposits, or condensate, in a shale formation. From relatively few log inputs, together with assumed or estimated or known values for density or porosity of kerogen, a single mathematical process involving the solution of a number of simultaneous equations, provides a value for both kerogen volume and total porosity. Additional checks and balances may be used to provide corrections to the result, for example based on pyrite volume or water saturation.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a non-provisional application which claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61 / 495,186 dated Jun. 9, 2011, entitled “Method for evaluation of hydrocarbon content of shale,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]None.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]This invention relates to the evaluation of the hydrocarbon content, for example the hydrocarbon gas and / or liquid content, of a subterranean shale deposit.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]Shale is an increasingly important source of hydrocarbon resources. Such unconventional resources, however, present challenges not only in their extraction but also in the analysis of a deposit to determine its hydrocarbon content. Clearly, analysis of the potential of a shale deposit prior to committing to the substantial cost of extracting the hydrocarbon is essential. ...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): E21B49/00
CPCG01V1/50G01V2210/624
Inventor KLEIN, JAMES D.MYERS, GARY D.
Owner CONOCOPHILLIPS CO
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