Unconventional gas plays in Western Canada have been attracting a lot of investor and operator interest in the recent past. Unlocking these vast tight resources requires a mix of new evaluation, drilling and stimulation technologies where rock mechanics plays an integral, if not dominant role in some cases. Advanced Geotechnology has long been close to shale issues related to wellbore stability and hydraulic fracturing, and this same expertise is now being applied to shale gas reservoirs. For example, we are presently undertaking a project for one operator to interpret microseismic data collected in multi-zone Montney well stimulations, with a goal of determining the effects of natural fractures and in-situ stress in the setting. Recently we completed an investigation of the elastic properties of Montney and other gas shales and siltstones based on their dynamic log response using classic lambda-rho and other petrophysical analyses techniques and novel, small sample, static laboratory tests. In another location we are assessing the long-term feasibility of horizontal openhole completions in a Montney interval, in light of several recent hole collapse events. For several other operators we have assessed the feasibility of using underbalanced or managed pressure drilling technologies (UBD/MPD) in the Montney. If you would like to discuss what Advanced Geotechnology can bring to your exploration and production team for gas shales, do not hesitate to contact Pat McLellan, AG principal consultant at mclellan@advgeotech.com or 403.693.7531.
