Micro-characterization of montney unconventional hydrocarbon source rock

Montney地层是阿尔伯塔省和不列颠哥伦比亚省最大、产量最高的地层，也是世界上最大的非常规天然气资源之一。水平钻井和水力压裂技术的进步使得从Montney储层以及许多其他低渗透（致密）储层释放碳氢化合物成为可能，这些储层以前难以进入或开采不经济。尽管有了这些技术进步，但由于目前对储层岩石在这些复杂过程中如何破裂的理解有限，许多井的表现仍然不佳，这些复杂过程最终负责创建互连裂缝网络，用于引导和提取目标油气资源。这项工作的目的是开发一种程序来创建岩石力学模型，该模型可用于预测Montney非常规烃源岩在水力压裂作业中的性能。预期的岩石力学模型将为基于有限离散单元模型（FDEM）技术的微观力学建模提供信息。FDEM结合了大应变有限元和离散单元的优点，允许明确地模拟裂纹在原始完整材料中的传播，以及不同阶段和材料之间的相互作用。通过在微观尺度上模拟物理相互作用，FDEM能够将被测材料的响应作为模型的紧急属性再现出来。然而，任何FDEM建模练习的可靠性高度依赖于所用输入材料属性的准确性。富含油气的粉砂岩的微观特征，以及在微型x射线计算机断层扫描仪（microCT）内进行的先进成像，将有助于为未来任何FDEM模型的发展提供信息和约束。

The Montney formation is the largest and most productive play in Alberta and British Columbia and one of thelargest unconventional gas resources in the world. Technological advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulicfracturing (aka fracking) have made it possible to release hydrocarbon from the Montney play as well as manyother low-permeability (tight) reservoirs that were formerly inaccessible or uneconomical to exploit. Despitethese technological advancements, many wells still underperform because of the current limitation in fullyunderstanding how reservoir rocks fracture under those complex processes, which are ultimately responsiblefor creating the network of interconnected fractures used to channel and extract the targeted hydrocarbonresource. The objective of this work is to develop a procedure to create a rock mechanics model that could beused to predict the performance of Montney unconventional hydrocarbon source-rock during hydraulicfracturing operations. The expected rock mechanics model will inform a micro-mechanical modeling based onthe finite discrete element model (FDEM) technology. FDEM combines the advantages of large strain finiteelements with those of the discrete elements, allowing for explicitly modelling the propagation of cracks intoan originally intact material, as well as the interaction between the different phases and materials. By modellingthe physical interactions at the micro-scale, FDEM is able to reproduce the response of the tested material as anemergent property of the model. However, the reliability of any FDEM modeling exercise is highly dependenton the accuracy of the used input material properties. A micro-characterization of the hydrocarbon-richsiltstone, together with advanced imaging performed inside a micro x-ray computed tomography machine(microCT), will help to inform and constrain the development of any future FDEM model.