System and method for identifying productive gas shale formations
OwnerJohn A. Kieschnickinventor
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Abstract
Methods, systems, and apparatuses are disclosed for classifying shale gas formations based on geochemical, petrophysical and/or petrological properties. In preferred embodiments, the methods, systems, and apparatuses classify gas shales according to the processes of hydrocarbon generation (i.e., thermogenic versus biogenic), the degree of clay maturation, the dominant composition of the gas shales, and the like. The methods, systems, and apparatuses also account for formation characteristics such as total organic carbon, degree of Kerogen maturity, and the like. Such an arrangement allows for consistent and reliable identification of productive (and likely profitable) types of shale gas reservoirs.
Claims24
A system for identifying potentially productive gas shale formations, comprising:
- a database configured to store data representing formation properties for a gas shale formation;
- and
- a workstation connected to the database, the workstation being adapted to receive the data representing the formation properties from the database, classify the gas shale formation based on the formation properties, and determine whether the gas shale formation is likely to be a productive gas shale formation according to one or more predefined criteria;
- wherein the gas shale formation is classified as one of the following types:
- siliceous, siliceous cherty, clastic, hybrid hyperpycnal, hybrid hypopycnal, or hybrid homopycnal.
A method of identifying potentially productive gas shale formations, comprising:
- storing data representing formation properties for a gas shale formation in a database;
- providing the data representing the formation properties to a workstation;
- classifying the gas shale formation based on the formation properties using the workstation;
- and
- determining whether the gas shale formation is a potentially productive gas shale formation according to one or more predefined criteria using the workstation;
- wherein the gas shale formation is classified as one of the following types:
- siliceous, siliceous cherty, clastic, hybrid hyperpycnal, hybrid hypopycnal, or hybrid homopycnal.
A computer-readable medium encoded with computer-readable instructions for causing a workstation to identify potentially productive types of gas shale formations, the computer-readable instructions comprising instructions for causing the workstation to:
- receive data representing formation properties for a gas shale formation from a database;
- classify the gas shale formation based on the formation properties using the workstation;
- and
- determine whether the gas shale formation is a potentially productive type of gas shale formation according to one or more predefined criteria using the workstation;
- wherein the gas shale formation is classified as one of the following types:
- siliceous, siliceous cherty, elastic, hybrid hyperpycnal, hybrid hypopycnal, or hybrid homopycnal.
An article of manufacture for use in identifying potentially productive gas shale formations, comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- computer-readable medium connected to the processor, the computer-readable medium encoded with computer-readable instructions for causing the processor to:
- receive data representing formation properties for a gas shale formation from a database;
- classify the gas shale formation based on the formation properties;
- and
- determine whether the gas shale formation is a potentially productive gas shale formation according to one or more predefined criteria;
- wherein the gas shale formation is classified as one of the following types:
- siliceous, siliceous cherty, elastic, hybrid hyperpycnal, hybrid hypopycnal, or hybrid homopycnal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.