Home > Shale Gas and Microseismic
Shale rock is defined based on grain size and mineral content.Shale gas as resources has at least three properties:it is a self source rock, a seal and a reservoir rock. The boom of shale gas reservoir started in North America with various shale plays: Barnett shale, Haynesville shale, Marcellus shale, Eagle Ford shale, etc. These shale gas rocks contain significant amount of quartz and carbonate and therefore it is more like siltstone/mudstone rock.
The production from low porosity and low permeable shale gas rock has been possible primarily because of the two technologies: 1) Horizontal drilling that increases rock volume contact with the well bore, and 2) Hydrolic fracture simulation that increases permeabilities. Geophysics has a role in making these two technologies successful. Seismic data can provide subsurface image to drill a target layer. Seismic properties of rock can be used to highlight high gas potential areas, and estimate geomechanical properties of rock (Young's modulus) that will help in designing fracs. Also microseismic data can help monitor frac jobs.
SPG North America chapter is helping SPG-India to publish an special issue of Geohorizons (Jan. 2012) on shale gas. There are several publications and reports on shale gas characterization and microseismic study. A few of those are listed below:
