Spectrodcopy Hold Promise for Reducing Shale Completion Cost | Russell T. Rudy Energy LLC
“Rigzone” reports that Wyoming based WellDog Pty. Ltd., is working with Shell International Exploration and Production to adapt spectroscopy technology to shale formations. Spectroscopy has long been used to detect methane and volatile methane/carbon dioxide combinations in coal beds. What makes this technology so promising is its potential to improve the identification of completion intervals and placement of frack cluster in shale formations.
A study by the Society of Petroleum Engineers found that up to 50% of fracked stages are not productive due to reservoir heterogeneity, and that this is true for both vertical and horizontal wells. The Energy Information Agency concluded that “Because of shale rock heterogeneity over short distances, neighboring well productivity varies significantly, and well productivity across the formation varies even more.” This being the case, if spectroscopy technology can not only detect the presence of fluids, but also identify those fluids, operators can focus their stimulation efforts on only the most prospective portions of a well. By locating these sweet spots, the cost of stimulating less productive portions of a reservoir can be avoided, thereby significantly reducing completion costs.
Shell and WellDog are currently conducting beta tests of the technology. Initially they will be working on identifying wet and dry gas, but plan to expand their efforts to include oil next year.
To read the article in its entirety, please go to www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/135332/WellDog .
