Overview Of Shale Gas Essay Example

deep) and under less pressure and lower temperatures. It is produced through the feeding of anaerobic micro-organisms (bacteria) on organic matter (both mature and non-mature), which subsequently releases methane.

Boogieing gases typically do not need horizontal wells as they are shallow, as seen in examples such as the Colorado Shale play in southern central Alberta and the Atria Shale play in the Michigan basin. Figure 1 shows the difference between conventional and boogieing gases.

Improvements and advancements in horizontal drilling have significantly increased production over the past decade, as seen in Figure 2. From 2005 to 2007, all horizontal wells in Ions, Hill, and Basque counties were successful (Kohl, 2007). Deckhands has observed higher production rates in Denton and Tartan counties from the Barnett Shale, displayed in Figures 4 and 5 below. The ratio of production from horizontal wells to vertical wells is 3.2:1, while the cost ratio of drilling the two types of well is only 2:1 (Naturals. Rig, 2004).

Deckhands explains that thermal maturity is used to identify the oil window and gas window.

The source for Figure 4 on Denton County Production and Figure 5 on Tartan County Production is Deckhands, 2008. Natural fractures, which occur when the stresses that exceed the rupture strength of the reservoir rock, are discontinuities that can have both advantages and disadvantages. According to Stearns (1990), natural fractures can enhance production. However, Hooch (2012) notes that leakage may occur in natural fractures when they open up under fracture pressures. In addition, if early sendoff occurs during farcing and

it intersects with the natural fracture, conductivity will not be high enough for economic gas production.

Opening natural fractures that are connected to an aquifer can lead to the drowning of hellebore plants and a halt in gas production. Shale with higher levels of silica tend to be more productive due to their natural fractures, as per Deckhands. Traditional sand formations only require a single TOT fracture, while unconventional ones require multiple 50TH to 10TH fractures (Hooch, 2012). Hydraulic fracturing was invented in the sass and was first employed in the Barnett shale in 1986 (Hayden and Purcell, 2005).

Traditionally, hydraulic fractures establish a pathway for gas to travel from the reservoir to the wellbore, following the path with the least impediments. The low permeability of shale gas makes it economically challenging, and insufficient completions result in subpar production, potentially leading to unprofitable wells. Horizontal wells can incorporate as many as 30 stage fracs. The Clearwater fractures consist of a substantial amount of water, with a small quantity of sand mixed in.

Injecting prospects into fractures is necessary to prevent them from closing when fracture fluid is removed and natural reservoir pressure is restored. To save money by reducing the friction pressure, friction reducers are used. However, if not used properly, they can cause damage to the formation. Clay stabilizers are utilized with fluids to decrease particle migration. (Kaufman and Penny, 2008).

Biocide's are utilized to prevent acid production caused by bacteria (Kaufman and Penny, 2008) in the more than 40 shale formations present in the United States (Carport, 2008). These formations are expected to produce 2.3 ETC by 2030, as per the United States

Energy Information Administration (2008). Table 1 provides information on some specific examples of these shale basins and their properties, while Figure 6 illustrates their locations.

According to CHUG (2010), shale gas wells in the United States typically produce around 4 CUFF/day, while those in the Barnett Shale in Fort Worth yield approximately 3 BCC/day. The Barnett Shale is currently the most significant gas play in America, holding up to 26 ETC of natural gas reserves at depths of up to 8500 feet. The complex nature of the Barnett Shale means that gas production may vary across the region.