SPE-WA Geomechanics SIG TALK 23-Apr-2024

SPE-WA Geomechanics SIG is proud to present the details of our talks in April 2024. (There will be two talks)

TALK-1:

Hydrogen geo-storage in rock salt formations: Petrophysical characterisation and geomechanical testing of a potential host formation in Western Australia

This is a presentation on the evaluation of the potential suitability of a rock salt formation for waste disposal or energy/gas storage. We consider the case of the Frome Rocks salt dome (depth > 600 m) in the Canning basin, Western Australia. This evaluation involves the characterization of the petrophysical, mineralogical and geomechanical properties of rock salt samples from two contrasting facies, identified from recovered core material: a shallower (800m) heterogeneous facies with 40% halite and 38% of dolomite inclusions (mm to cm); and a deeper (1100m) homogeneous, halite-rich facies (98%).

The dataset includes porosity and gas permeability estimation as a function of confining pressure (or depth); and multi-stage triaxial (MTXL) testing at four distinct confining pressures, one of which corresponding to the confining pressure prevailing at the depth of recovery of each sample. MTXL tests allow to simulate the impact on the mechanical properties of depth within the formation; and that of the stress perturbations induced by drilling/excavation operations. During each stage of an MTXL test, gas transmission and creep were also evaluated under hydrostatic and deviatoric stress conditions.

The heterogeneous (homogeneous) salt facies exhibits a porosity of 0.8 – 1.1% (0.2 – 0.3%), and a gas permeability of 50 – 500 D (1 – 20 D), within the confining pressure interval 0 – 16 MPa. Each MTXL test lasted about 80 days, essentially due to the time-consuming nature of the gas transmission and creep evaluations. The two salt facies have a remarkably contrasting mechanical and petrophysical response to hydrostatic and deviatoric stresses; both facies, however, behave in a rather ductile manner at their native depth, i.e., plastic yield rather than brittle fracturing/faulting.

Mustafa Sari holds a Ph.D. in Geomechanics from UNSW (2019). Currently, in his role as a Research Scientist at CSIRO, Kensington, WA, he is focusing on hydrogen storage in salt caverns and depleted gas reservoirs from a geomechanical perspective.

TALK-2:
The exciting applications of 3D Geomechanics in addressing the challenges in the O&G industry

Geomechanics is increasingly becoming an important component of reservoir management from exploration to abandonment. If rock is removed (eg: while drilling) or pressure is changed in a reservoir (eg: depletion or injection) this alters the stress state of the rock.
This has cascading effect on the operation we are performing.

• Drilling: Determining the safe mud weight drilling without incurring hole collapse or fracturing the formation
• Completion: Determine safe draw-down without causing sanding issues
• Hydraulic Fracturing: Determining the rock elastic properties and stress that are important inputs to the Hydraulic Fracture Stimulation designing.
• Production optimization: If the rock has natural fractures and flow is thru fractures, then how will the permeability change with stress in the life of the field.
• Compaction and Subsidence: By how much will the reservoir compact or surface subside?

This presentation will go through how 1D and 3D Geomechanics models are constructed and their applications through examples.

Zachariah John Pallikathekathil (Zach) is currently the domain lead of Geomechanics and Acoustics in SLB, based in Perth.

ABOUT THE EVENT

Attending IN PERSON
SPE Member $0 (Free)
SPE Non-Member $ 10 (Introductory Offer)

Location: SLB Office, Uluru conference room (5th Floor), 10, Telethon Ave, Perth, 6000

Attending ONLINE
(You will be able to join via MICROSOFT TEAMS. The link will be sent to you after you register on the 23rd April (Tuesday) Morning)
SPE Member $0 (Free)
SPE Non-Member $ 0 (Introductory offer)

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Time: 12.00 – 12.25 pm Lunch & Networking.
Time: 12.25 – 12.30 pm Welcome and Introduction
Time: 12.30 – 12.50 pm TALK-1 (followed by 10 min Qs after talk)
Time: 01.00 – 01.20 pm TALK-2 (followed by 10 min Qs after talk)
01.30 (Close)

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from SPE Geomechanics SIG Committee
– Abbas Khaksar (Baker)
– Joel Sarout (CSIRO)
– Jurgen Streit (Woodside)
– Mohammad Sarmadivaleh (Curtin Uni)
– Sanjay Thakur (Chevron)
– Zach John (SLB)