The emergence of Shale Oil and Shale Gas has driven a rapid increase in natural gas and oil production in North America during recent years. This has had a positive impact on consumers, as prices and dependency on foreign sources has fallen, but it has had a mixed impact on the oil & gas industry. The positive impacts on the industry have been the infusion of capital and the exciting rapid developments in technology. On the downside, shale development involves different techniques, terms, and concepts than what most people in the industry have been familiar with most of their careers so this has created a training challenge for companies. In addition, the success in dramatically increasing the supply of natural gas has caused prices to fall and so there is less margin for error in properly managing existing and new Shale Oil & Gas development activities. Though some key concepts of Shale development are somewhat unique, fortunately they are not complex and can be effectively transferred to those working in the technical, support and financial segments of the industry.
This two-day introductory course provides an overview of shale development for people in the oil and gas industry who have little to no technical training in evaluating, drilling, completing or producing wells in shale reservoirs, but require additional information so they can better support, guide, value, forecast, or service those activities. The primary topics include unique terminology, horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, resource analysis, common misconceptions, production forecasting, financial analysis, critical rock properties for commercial development, and environmental challenges.
Participants will learn to:
• List two critical differences between shale, tight, source rock, and conventional reservoirs.
• Assess the critical design issues and selection considerations for modern horizontal well completions.
• Determine why and how hydraulic fracture treatment additives and designs vary by reservoir type.
• Review factors dictating hydraulic fracturing mechanics, geometry, additives, objectives and effectiveness.
• Understand the three different primary techniques used to forecast production, and their limitations.
• Review the methods to characterize hydrocarbons in a shale, and the importance of this task.
• Assess the different methods for monitoring hydraulic fracture treatments and their limitations.
• Outline major milestones that spurred shale development and the currently emerging technologies.
• Define how changes in horizontal well and hydraulic fracturing designs correlate to production rates.
• Review critical steps in reducing the risk of environmental impacts from hydraulic fracture treatments.
• Explain the meaning of unique terms and abbreviations that apply only to shale and tight reservoirs.
A complete set of course materials and lunches are included.
