Unconventional Petroleum Reservoirs: fluid-rock interactions and induced seismicity during hydraulic fracturing and reservoir characterisation

在过去的15年中，北美发生了从常规可渗透储层到超低渗透非常规储层的油气生产的范式转变。 非常规资源的开采是通过在高压下注入大量（数百万升）流体，以水力方式在储层中形成可渗透的裂缝网络来实现的。 某些地区的水力压裂过程导致异常诱发地震（AIS），所使用的流体可能会损害储层，并被一些人视为潜在的污染物。 AIS的可能性以及与所使用的大量流体相关的真实的或感知的问题是当前非常规烃资源的可持续开发所面临的最重要的问题。 我们的研究将有助于：1）预防和/或减轻由于水力压裂引起的AIS; 2）了解流体岩石相互作用，以最大限度地减少储层和流体损害; 3）更好地描述储层，以优化勘探和生产。 我们对AIS的研究是多方面的，包括在水力完井期间对地震活动进行真实的实时监测，以开发可在压裂期间使用的交通灯/预警系统。 现场数据将在水力压裂指标的背景下进行解释，包括压力，温度和流体性质，以了解过程。 现场研究的结果将与实验室和油井测试相结合，为数值模型提供输入，这些模型将用于制定预防或减轻AIS的协议。 为了最大限度地减少流体对储层的损害，我们将在重要储层上进行钻井液和完井液实验，并分析水力压裂后的返排液。 这项研究将有助于优化油藏完井，识别、预防和/或补救对油藏和流体系统的损害。 回流水的化学性质和体积的知识将进一步有助于设计用于回收、处理和/或处置的流体混合物，并最大限度地减少淡水的总使用量。 我们将继续开发和完善新的协议，以更好地保护储层岩石。我们将利用测井分析和实验室实验以及数值分析，对超细颗粒储层中的碳氢化合物储存和运输进行基本了解。 我们建议研究那些控制可开采天然气液体、凝析油和非常规油藏石油分布的地质因素。我们的研究将包括测井分析和实验室研究，以地面真实石油系统分析模型，这将提供对重要的非常规地层的碳氢化合物的生成，迁移和保留的见解。

Over the last 15 years there has been a paradigm shift in North America from hydrocarbon production from conventional, permeable reservoirs to ultra-low permeability, unconventional reservoirs. The exploitation of unconventional resources is made possible by injection of large volumes (millions of litres) of fluid at high pressures to hydraulically create a permeable fracture network in the reservoir. The process of hydraulically fracturing in some areas result in anomalous induced seismicity (AIS), and the fluids used may damage the reservoir and are viewed by some as potential contaminants. The potential for AIS and real or perceived problems associated with the large volume of fluid utilised are the most important issues currently facing sustainable development of unconventional hydrocarbon resources. Our research will contribute to: 1) prevention and/or mitigation of AIS due to hydraulic fracturing; 2) understanding fluid rock interactions to minimize reservoir and fluid damage; and 3) better characterisation of reservoirs to optimise exploration and production. Our studies on AIS are multifaceted and include real time monitoring of seismicity during hydraulic completions to develop a traffic light/early warning system that can be used during fracing. The field data will be interpreted in the context of hydraulic fracturing metrics, including pressure, temperature and fluid properties, to understand processes. The results of the field studies will be combined with laboratory and well tests to provide input for numerical models that will be in turn used to develop protocols to prevent or mitigate AIS. To minimize fluid damage to the reservoir we will experiment with drilling and completion fluids on important reservoirs and analyse flowback fluids following hydraulic fracturing. This research will contribute to optimising reservoir completions, and recognising, preventing and/or remediating damage to the reservoir and fluid system. Knowledge of the chemistry and volumes of flowback water will further contribute to the design of fluid blends for recycling, treatment and/or disposal and minimizing total freshwater use. We will continue to develop and refine novel protocols to better characterise reservoir rocks. We will contribute to the fundamental understanding of hydrocarbon storage in and transport through, ultra-fine grained reservoirs utilising well log analyses and laboratory experiments coupled with numerical analyses. We propose to investigate those geological factors controlling the distribution of producible natural gas liquids, condensate, and oil from unconventional reservoirs. Our studies will include well log analyses and laboratory studies to ground truth petroleum system analysis models that will provide insight into the generation, migration and retention of hydrocarbons of important unconventional formations.