Interview with Christine Ehlig-Economides

Technical Leaders Interview A conversation with Christine Ehlig-Economides, professor of petroleum engineering at Texas A&amp;M University. </jats:sec

Highlights of the TAMEST Task Force Report on Environmental and Community Impacts of Shale Development in Texas

Abstract The combined horizontal well and multistage hydraulic fracturing technologies that enabled profitable hydrocarbon production from shale gas and tight oil formations were developed and originally proven in Texas. Through these technologies Texas crude oil production tripled, and natural gas production increased by 50%. The Academies of Medicine, Engineering, and Science of Texas (TAMEST) appointed a task force to report on the impacts of shale gas and tight oil development in Texas. The task force goal was to evaluate the scientific basis of the current body of available information, both positive and negative, and effectively communicate to the public the current state of knowledge of environmental and community impacts of shale development in Texas. The task force members were selected from academia, industry, governmental agencies, and non-governmental organizations and focused on six key aspects: air, land, water, seismicity, transportation, and community social and economic impacts. Task force members summarized the published information they found and prepared findings and recommendations. Together these represent a thorough review of the Texas shale experience. This paper will present findings most informative for regions with potential resource plays. Tight oil development has brought the United States from a threatened condition under which oil consumption relied on nearly 60% imports to a sense of energy security. Shale gas development has enabled switching electric power generation from coal to cleaner and more efficient natural gas. Further, natural gas backs up power generation from intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and solar. Understanding the environmental and community impacts in Texas enables a more informed evaluation of the costs and benefits of these intense development practices.</jats:p

Reflections on Timing and Technology

Pillars of the Industry - Christine Ehlig-Economides reflects on her career and how being in the right place at the right time has made all the difference.</jats:p

Discover a Career in Pressure-Transient Testing

Discover a Career - Christine A. Ehlig-Economides discusses a career in pressure-transient testing.</jats:p

Rate-Normalized Pressure Analysis for Determination of Shale Gas Well Performance

Abstract The horizontal well with multiple transverse fractures has proven to be an effective strategy for shale gas reservoir exploitation. However, to improve the well design it is important to quantify the reservoir permeability and the extent of the stimulated reservoir volume (SRV) defined by the created hydraulic fractures. Rate-normalized pressure (RNP) is easily computed from production data and is more straightforward to interpret than pressure normalized rate. Pseudolinear flow before pressure interference happens between two adjacent transverse fractures, seen as a ½ slope trend in the RNP derivative, and pseudo pseudosteady state, seen as a straight trend with slightly less than unit slope, are key to the analysis. When only pseudolinear flow appears, a minimum extent for the SRV is indicated as well as a maximum value for the shale permeability. The appearance of pseudo pseudosteady state flow provides an estimate for the pore volume of the SRV and a minimum value for the shale permeability. When both pseudolinear and pseudo pseudosteady state flow regimes appear, permeability and the average half-length and spacing of created fractures can be estimated. We illustrate the analysis procedure with field data from key shale gas plays. Estimates for both the expected ultimate recovery and recovery efficiency as a fraction of the gas in place in the SRV are possible using this interpretation technique. Sensitivity of the analysis to uncertainties in shale thickness, porosity, and adsorption parameters are explored.</jats:p

Describing Shale Well Performance Using Transient Well Analysis

Tech 101 - Fabian Vera, Baker Hughes, and Christine Ehlig-Economides, Texas A&amp;M, discuss shale well performance using transient well analysis.</jats:p

Determining Fluidization Across Gravel Pack Completion to Confirm its Integrity

The aim of this research is to understand the relationships determining pressure drop across an undamaged gravel pack such that the velocity for non-uniform inflow from the reservoir can be determined at the screen and at the sandface. Further, this study aims at determining the minimum inflow velocity sufficient to destabilize the gravel pack bed and thus, impair it, hence determine the minimum fluidization velocity. A CFD model for such a case hasn?t been done before in the oil and gas industry. We have created a model that describes the internal gravelpack dynamics of fluid and proppantPetroleum Engineering, Department o