Enhancing Unconventional Reservoir Productivity

Pavel Bedrikovetsky, Alexander Badalyan, Zhenjiang You, Themis Carageorgos, Abbas Zeinijahromi, Alireza Keshawarz (Australian School of Petroleum, The University of Adelaide)

Roundtable for Unconventional Gas Projects, South Australia 2-4 December, Adelaide, South Australia

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1. Graded proppant injection in coal seam beds

2. Alteration of water wettability by nanoparticles

3. Flowrate estimate from temperature and pressure profiles

4. Fines migration in unconventional and conventional reservoirs

Current Research Projects

1. Graded Proppant Injection for Enhanced Coal Seam Gas Recovery

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2

4

6

8

10

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

PI/P

I 0

rDst

Pinj=0.9Pb

Pinj=0.8Pb

Pinj=0.7Pb

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Graded Proppant Injection for Enhanced Coal Seam Gas Recovery

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Particles enter cleats under leak-off conditions

Enhancement of interconnectivity in microfractures

Observed 2-to-3-times increase in permeability

Increase in productivity index

Application above and below fracturing pressure, i.e. for hydraulic fracturing and for natural cleat system

Application to SCG and shale gas reservoirs

Benefits for industry

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2. Alteration of Water Wettability by Nanoparticles for Optimisation of Unconventional Reservoirs

Water

Solid

Hydrophobic θ

Hydrophilic Water

Solid

θ

Injection of hydrophobic polysilicon nanoparticles

Quick dewatering Increasing relative gas permeability

Decreasing reservoir pressure Initiation of intensive gas desorption

Increasing contact angle Decreasing rock wettability

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Alteration of Water Wettability by Nanoparticles for Optimisation of Unconventional Reservoirs

Microscale Models Lab Studies

2D Visualisation

Engineered porous media

Fractured porous media

Large-scale Model

Model Validation

Shale Gas

CBM Particle Material Particle Size

Particle Concentration Injection Schedule

Injection Rate

Industrial Applications

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Alteration of Water Wettability by Nanoparticles for Optimisation of Unconventional Reservoirs

Fast dewatering and more intensive gas desorption

Forecast nanoparticle delivery in fractured formations

Swelling nanoparticles keep coal cleats open

Increase of convective mixing and storage capacity of CO2

Temperature-sensitive nanoparticles determine fracture connectivity for geothermal projects

Contaminant removal from nano-sized pores of aquifers

Benefits for industry

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3. Flow-rate estimate in separate layers along gas wells from temperature and pressure profiles

p ( z )

T ( z )

T E ( z ) w Q

Inflow point

Inflow point

F fr

Fg

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Low-cost flowrate estimate in separate layers along gas wells from temperature and pressure profiles

Application when high temperature production logging is either unavailable or prohibitively expensive

High precision method for low-flowrate gas wells, like CSG and shale gas reservoirs

Determining other extra parameters for improved reservoir characterisation, like formation thermal conductivity

Recommending well stimulation of layers with low production rate

Benefits for industry

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4. Fines migration in unconventional and conventional reservoirs

Kaolinite

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6

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0 100 200 300

k, m

D

PVI

0.4 M

0.2 M

0.1 M

0.05 M

0.025 M

0.01 M

0.6 M

0.6 M, Reverse

0.6 M, Direct

0.6 M

Predictive mathematical model for fines lifting, mobilisation, migration and plugging, and resulting fines production and well productivity impairment

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Identification and characterisation of natural fines from rock cores, fragments/cuttings

Determination of size distribution of natural fines

Identification of conditions favourable for natural particle immobilisation and minimisation of formation damage

Recommendations how to decrease fines production, depending on reservoir conditions

Application of fines fixing technologies

Benefits for industry

Fines migration in unconventional and conventional reservoirs

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Experimental setups used in the above and other projects

Permeability and fines migration system (tmax=30 °C, Pmax=4300 psi)

Multicore flooding system (tmax=200 °C, Pmax=6000 psi) Deep bed filtration system

Permeability and fines migration system (tmax=190 °C, Pmax=4300 psi)

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Research Team Expertise

Prof. Pavel BEDRIKOVETSKY

mathematical

modelling in porous and fractured media formation damage well stimulation natural and artificial

fracturing productivity

enhancement in unconventional energy resources

Dr. Themis CARAGEORGOS laboratory

studies in porous and fractured media reaction kinetics formation

damage well productivity

impairment and enhancement propagation of

oily particles in aquifers

Dr. Zhanjiang YOU

mathematical

modelling in porous and fractured media well performance

prediction in coal seam gas and shale gas fields non-isothermal,

non-Newtonian flows in wells and reservoirs

Dr. Alexander BADALYAN

suspension flow in

fractured and porous media gas adsorption on

porous solids thermophysical

properties of fluids surface modification of

adsorbents

Dr. Abbas ZIENIJAHROMI

fines migration in

porous media formation damage drilling fluid design well fracturing and

acidizing IOR

Mr. Alireza KESHAVARZ

reservoir

engineering enhancement of

unconventional reservoirs

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Thank you