Title: Top-down, intelligent reservoir modelling of oil and gas producing shale reservoirs: case studies

Authors: Shahab D. Mohaghegh; Ognjen Gruic; Saeed Zargari; Amirmasoud Kalantari-Dahaghi; Grant S. Bromhal

Addresses: Intelligent Solutions, Inc., Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA. ' Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, 135 Mineral Resources Building, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA. ' Petroleum Engineering Department, Colorado School of Mines, 1613 Illinois St., Golden, CO 80401, USA. ' Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, 135 Mineral Resources Building, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA ' US Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, 3610 Collins Ferry Road, P.O. Box 880, Morgantown, WV 26507, USA

Abstract: Producing hydrocarbon from shale plays has attracted much attention in recent years. Advances in horizontal drilling and multi-stage hydraulic fracturing have made shale reservoirs a focal point for many operators. Our understanding of the complexities associated with the flow mechanism in shale has not kept up with our interest in shale formations. We present the application of a new reservoir modelling approach to history matching, forecasting and predicting hydrocarbon production from shale reservoirs, where instead of imposing our understanding on the reservoir model, we allow the production history, well log, and hydraulic fracturing data to force their will on our model. By carefully listening to the data, we developed a data-driven model and history match the production process and validate our model (using blind production history). Examples of three case studies in Lower Huron and New Albany shale formations (gas producing) and Bakken shale (oil producing) are presented in this article. [Received: June 20, 2011; Accepted: July 21, 2011]

Keywords: top-down modelling; TDM; shale reservoirs; reservoir modelling; reservoir simulation; intelligent modelling; hydrocarbon production; oil and gas; production history; well logs; hydraulic fracturing data.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOGCT.2012.044175

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 2012 Vol.5 No.1, pp.3 - 28

Published online: 23 Oct 2014 *

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