Completing Shale Plays

More Reservoir Contact, Less Environmental Impact

Shale reservoir completion techniques required to achieve maximum reservoir contact vary from play to play, within different areas within a single play, and even along a single lateral. Choosing the best design can have a measurable impact on economic results. Optimizing completions also reduces environmental impact.

Understand rock properties, fractures, and geomechanics

Rock properties and natural fracture distribution within shale gas reservoirs have significant implications for stimulation and recovery, and each play has unique fracture characteristics that need to be considered.

Variable mechanical properties, when measured in the horizontal and vertical directions, result in stress profiles that cannot be accurately predicted with conventional evaluation techniques. Thus, completion effectiveness is dramatically improved when hydraulic fracturing and perforating operations take into account these anisotropic rock properties.

Generate, maintain, and monitor complex fracture networks

Advanced fracturing and completion services maximize your reservoir contact by offering the most efficient and effective reservoir stimulation service for each well. A wide variety of proven reservoir stimulation technologies exists. Each choice can be enhanced, and stage optimized, with real-time measurement options. Real-time visualization using data and models enhances operational planning and execution.

Optimize placement of perforation clusters

Detailed knowledge of lateral heterogeneity can help minimize the significant differences in perforation cluster contribution that are commonly seen in horizontal wellbores in shale reservoirs. Optimizing perforation placement makes completions more efficient and more productive. The resulting stimulation treatments then provide the best chance for every perforated cluster to produce gas. In open hole completions with frac ports, optimized port placement can improve well operability.

Establish long-life well integrity, reduce environmental impact

Fully protect surface groundwater zones via cementing best practices and evaluation technology. Utilize the latest green chemistry fracturing fluid formulations to reduce environmental impact.