Watch Optimization in U.S. Shale Plays: Emerging New Techniques and Technologies, a talk presented by Susan Nash at AAPG/DPA Playmaker Forum in Midland, Texas on 14 January, 2015.

https://www.aapg.org/vide...ues-and-technologies

Summary: In times of oil price instability and low gas prices, the capital-intensive technologies that made shale plays possible must be re-evaluated to see if there are ways to reconceptualize them to make the plays economic. This article presents the results of an analysis of the current state of shale play development in the United States to determine the recent advances in the understanding of reservoir behaviors and the most effective uses of new techniques and technologies. My presentation emphasizes reservoir optimization, and the application of the new technologies and techniques to reduce costs and to improve recoverability of hydrocarbons in order to improve ultimate recoverable reserves. It specifically addresses issues of decline curves, stranded pay between laterals, stacked pay logistics, and pad drilling. In addition, the presentation looks at sweet-spot optimization, effective investments, hydraulic fracturing, and geomechanics. Finally, it presents an overview of some of the emerging best practices in North American shale plays and the results of new optimization-focused technologies and techniques, including refracturing, whipstocking, geochemistry, and integrated imaging.