Unconventional shale gas resource plays have become a key exploration target for the petroleum industry and investors. This interest derives mostly from the success of the Barnett Shale, and to a lesser extent, the Ohio-New Albany Devonian Shales of the eastern US. Although many rock attributes are of importance in determining what defines a commercially productive shale, the characteristics of its gas generative capacity, thermal maturity, kerogen type, and its fracturability are of prime importance in obtaining high gas flow rates. Thus, these plays are being directed by geochemical assessments of suitable combined source-reservoir rock systems and completion (engineering) techniques.
This proposal outlines a sampling program that will generate interpreted data that are critical to making sound economic decisions on leasing, and the viability of participating in a variety of fractured shale plays throughout the Rocky Mountains.
Key results to be derived from completion of this study on
prospective shale gas candidates include:
- Determination of organic richness of shales
- determination of present-day and original generation potentials of shales
- Assessment of organic richness and total generation potentials related to gas/oil yields
- Thermal maturity determination from well profiles and shale intervals of interest
- Kerogen type assessment as it relates to product composition versus maturity
- Maps of yield and maturity
- Determination of metals content
- Bulk and clay mineralogical analysis
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