American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2019 - 23

Geomechanics Becoming
Progressively More Important
In Unconventional World
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the 2019 Society of
Petroleum Engineers Geomechanics Congress in Houston. According to Neal Nagel from Oilfield Geomechanics, geomechanics
is defined as the engineering evaluation, or understanding, of
the behavioral interplay between earth stresses, pressures, mechanical properties and the geometry on which they act.
Although it has been a critical oil and gas topic for many
years, geomechanics has become the darling of recent conferences,
short courses and workshops, and with good reason, as unconventional plays become increasingly conventional. This year's
event was of particular interest, thanks to increased upstream
activity in the lower-48, particularly in the Permian Basin.
Topics this year included exploration, drilling, completion, production and data analytics as presented by some of the industry's
most recognizable figures.
In a presentation titled "Reducing Uncertainty in Unconventional Plays-A Laboratory Perspective," Sudarshan Govindarajan
discussed how actively developing a more representative model
is critical to reducing overall uncertainties and minimizing risk.
According to Govindarajan, core data is still commonly
used to feed reservoir model parameters; however, incorrect
core data assumptions can multiply well costs quickly. Bearing
in mind the "garbage in, garbage out" premise, the presentation
emphasized, it is important to ensure the data accurately
represents reservoir stress conditions. Because core is an
expensive endeavor, and often the laboratory has access to only
one plug, effective use of this material is key to successful
reservoir model development. Govindarajan's case study showed
the integration of data from multiple sources could create a
model with a higher degree of confidence.
These days, it seems machine learning and data analytics are
emerging oil field topics. Although the extent to which anyone is
effectively using this technology remains unclear, the current
general consensus holds that machine learning is on the way and
likely will change operators' approach to new opportunities. In a
presentation called, "Applications of Machine Learning and
Data Analytics in Geomechanics," Tobias Hoeink from Baker
Hughes, a GE Company, discussed what folks could reasonably
expect from data analytics applications and provided a few
examples where these new technologies had been applied in the
field of geomechanics.
According to Hoeink, automating time-consuming workflow
processes likely will be the next big thing when powered by
machine learning. These technologies probably will transform
log analysis for shale discrimination and picking formation
dips or fractures from image logs.
Another presentation, led by Katelyn Huffman from Chevron,
titled "Identifying Nanoscale to Stratigraphic Scale Impact of
Rock Fabric on Mudstone Reservoir Quality and Drillability,"
highlighted how tiny parts of mudstone fabric can have a much
more significant impact on drilling, completions and production.
According to Huffman, characterizing the nanoscale fabric
makes it possible to model the bulk elastic properties and

"Because of the requirement to generate
large amounts of reservoir contact, the ability
to develop suitable fracture geometry with
extensive propped pay contact is dominated by
geomechanics considerations-specifically
fracture height growth or fracture geometry.

localized stress distributions in different lithologies with differing
mineralogical pore fabric.
This can be useful in the lab when looking at the impact of
permeability decline during production when measuring under
different conditions, surrounded by mechanically different mineralogy or cement. From the lab, she evaluated differing well
performance and decline rates in mechanically different targets,
showing that evaluation of stratigraphy at a fine scale can
provide useful information that can be integrated into drilling
and completions operations.
Finally, Mike Smith from NSI Technologies posed the idea
of geomechanics as the new petrophysics. With the recent surge
of oil and gas production coming from shale or unconventional
reservoirs, Smith noted, the common thread uniting all of them
is the effort to create an unusual amount of reservoir contact.
Because of the requirement to generate large amounts of
reservoir contact, the ability to develop suitable fracture geometry
with extensive propped pay contact is dominated by geomechanics
considerations-specifically fracture height growth or fracture
geometry. Geomechanics and the ability to create required fracture
geometry can become more critical than petrophysics in terms of
pay quality when determining landing zone depths, he suggested.
Smith used examples from the Montney in Canada, Vaca Muerte
in Argentina and Wolfcamp in the Permian to reinforce his idea.
Unconventional plays have become conventional, and as operators work with progressively tighter rock, geomechanics is
key to the successful optimization of modern drilling and completions. Lab testing and big data are making headway in
creating improved models that show how even the smallest
components can have a significant impact on development. Will
geomechanics take over for petrophysics? That seems unlikely,
but both working together seems to be a good practice.
r

JEREMY VISCOMI is a strategic

marketing expert for the oil and
gas industry. Among his many
roles, he serves as the MidContinent regional lead for the
Petroleum Technology Transfer
Council, providing independent
operators with access to emerging technology aimed at reducing
risk and growing profits.
JULY 2019 23

American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2019

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