Geomechanics in Unconventional Reservoirs/Shale Plays

Learn to:
This is an intermediate level course for completion and stimulation engineers who want to learn more about the use of geomechanics for optimizing hydraulic fracturing designs, and the impact of geomechanical elements on operational and well performances in shale plays. Earth scientists and engineers dealing with data acquisition and geomechanical issues during field development and resource exploitation will also benefit from attending this course.

Course Length: 3 days

Delivery Locations

• Midland, TX USA
• Houston, TX USA
• Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Customer on-site course available

Who Should Attend

Personnel involved in drilling, completions, and reservoir behavior in unconventional reservoirs.

• Drilling and Completion Engineers
• Stimulation and Production Engineers
• Reservoir and Petroleum Engineers
• Engineering Managers
• Petrophysicists and Formation Evaluation Specialists
• Geologists and Geophysicists

Course Description

Geomechanics, the science of evaluating the interplay between stress, pressure and mechanical properties in rocks, plays a critical role in the characterization and engineering of shale reservoirs. It is becoming a regular engineering design tool for many operators when planning and executing hydraulic fracturing stimulation in shale and other unconventional plays. These plays present nontrivial hydraulic fracturing challenges which if the geomechanical influences are inadequately understood and addressed, can yield significant downside risks and sub-optimal well performance. Additionally, the need to sustain production with relatively high well deliverability further imposes technical and operational constraints on the stimulation technique, particularly in ultra-tight formations.

A unique feature of this 3-day course is its systematic and fit-for-purpose approach that integrates rock mechanics principles and laboratory and field measurements with operational aspects to optimize well deliverability while maximizing recovery efficiency. The course extends beyond the traditional applications of geomechanics in hydraulic fracturing to include critical elements and improved understanding necessary for the design and optimization of re-fracturing as well as well as multi-staged hydraulic fracturing stimulation in horizontal completions. Additionally, the complicated and variable geomechanical impact of natural fractures and weak-planes during hydraulic fracturing will also be presented, along with the review of shear stimulation, micro-seismicity and fracture complexity concepts. Other geomechanical issues such as brittleness, ‘fracability’ and stress interference, and their implications and influences on stage spacing and stimulation effectiveness will also be discussed. Throughout the course, relevant case studies will be presented to reinforce concepts and applications.

Request a class
Can't find the class or class offering you'd like? Please email us with the class and date range you'd like to see offered and we will contact you with any additional questions. contact us.