Geomechanics of Montney unconventional hydrocarbon source rock - From fundamental micro-mechanical characterization of the rock to well and multi-well scale modelling

蒙特尼非常规烃源岩的地质力学 - 从岩石的基本微观力学表征到井和多井尺度建模

• 批准号: 543894-2019
• 负责人: Grasselli, Giovanni
• 金额: $ 19.38万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=720816
• 关键词: Geomechanics; Montney; unconventional; hydrocarbon; source

The significant surge in hydrocarbon production from unconventional resources in the past decade is largely due to the technological advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (i.e., fracking), which made it possible to extract hydrocarbon from low-permeability (tight) reservoirs formerly inaccessible or uneconomical to exploit, such as the Triassic Montney formation sitting on the Alberta-British Columbia boundary, northwest of Edmonton, which is now considered one of North America's premier natural shale gas resource plays. This CRD project will combine advanced numerical simulations, innovative lab experimentations, and field data to develop more reliable geomechanics-based approaches to understand the reservoir response at all stages, from exploration to production. These approaches will improve the industry's ability to accurately simulate operations in the Montney formation, with the largest share owned by our industry partner Petronas Canada. Furthermore, we propose to add values to Petronas Canada's surface and downhole seismic recordings of microseismic events associated with fracking by improving source characterization (location/origin time/mechanism) based on available 3D seismic background models. More accurate source locations will help refine the underlying fracture networks, while the additional source mechanisms will be used to indicate the brittle failure types in the reservoir in response to stimulation. The research will (i) develop a methodology for the geomechanical characterization of the Montney source rock; (ii) optimize the design of proppant emplacement using a lab calibrated numerical model; and (iii) minimize the risk associated with induced seismicity by optimizing key controlling stimulation and production parameters.Focusing on combining fundamental rock mechanics principles with geophysics imaging, this research project will advance the understanding of the role of pre-existing and hydraulically-induced fractures and geological heterogeneities on the reservoir response under changing conditions associated with the various stages of development, from well completion, to stimulation, and then to production.

过去十年中，非常规资源中碳氢化合物产量的大幅增长，很大程度上归功于水平钻井和水力压裂（即水力压裂）技术的进步，这使得从以前无法进入或无法开采的低渗透（致密）油藏中提取碳氢化合物成为可能。开采起来不经济，例如位于埃德蒙顿西北部阿尔伯塔省和不列颠哥伦比亚省边界的三叠纪蒙特尼地层，该地层现在被认为是北美主要的天然页岩之一天然气资源发挥。该 CRD 项目将结合先进的数值模拟、创新的实验室实验和现场数据，开发更可靠的基于地质力学的方法，以了解从勘探到生产各个阶段的油藏响应。这些方法将提高行业准确模拟 Montney 地层作业的能力，我们的行业合作伙伴加拿大国家石油公司 (Petronas Canada) 拥有最大份额。此外，我们建议通过基于可用的 3D 地震背景模型改进震源特征（位置/起源时间/机制），为加拿大国家石油公司与水力压裂相关的微震事件的地面和井下地震记录增加价值。更准确的源位置将有助于完善底层裂缝网络，而额外的源机制将用于指示储层中响应刺激的脆性破坏类型。该研究将 (i) 开发蒙特尼烃源岩地质力学特征的方法； (ii) 使用实验室校准的数值模型优化支撑剂注入的设计； (iii) 通过优化关键控制刺激和生产参数，最大限度地降低与诱发地震活动相关的风险。该研究项目侧重于将基本岩石力学原理与地球物理成像相结合，将加深对预先存在的裂缝和水力诱发裂缝的作用的理解以及地质非均质性对油藏在与开发各个阶段（从完井到增产，再到生产）相关的变化条件下的响应的影响。