Oil and Gas

Oil and Gas | Structure and Tectonics

Fractured Reservoir Assessment and Integration to Full Field Development (Montana, USA)

Course Code: N464
Instructors:  Dave CannonCreties Jenkins
Course Outline:  Download
Format and Duration:
6 days

Summary

This course provides geoscientists and petroleum engineers the knowledge and understanding of how naturally fractured rocks should be integrated into unconventional development scenarios.It provides key, field-based examples of natural fractures occurring in multiple lithologies and structural settings. This course will include a Capstone group exercise culminating in a fully integrated development plan, that may change in response to variations in unconventional reservoir fabric.

Duration and Training Method

This six-day field course will consist of course discussions and materials derived from on-site geological investigation. The group exercise will provide limited, but key information from a hypothetical basin setting. At the end of the training period, an all-day wrap up will include informal group presentations of a Capstone project.

Course Overview

Participants will learn to:

  1. Characterize natural fracturing in multiple structural settings.
  2. Conduct key field measurements assessing fracture fabric characteristics associated with lithology and structural style.
  3. Evaluate field examples of natural fracturing and integrate into structural models to be utilized in unconventional development.
  4. Appraise natural fracture fabric for fluid flow capabilities in subsurface reservoirs.
  5. Evaluate natural fracture fabric for operational risks.
  6. Construct a development plan for unconventional reservoirs with a group of peers that integrates lithological variability, changes in structural setting, and the resulting natural fracture patterns.
  7. Assess and prescribe action for complete operational implementation of a Capstone exercise development plan; this includes drilling, completions, and production.

Throughout the duration of the field course, it is encouraged that the groups find time after the daily field work to collaborate on their Capstone project. Additionally, synthesizing data from field collections will be necessary for final integration into the project deliverables. Key synthesized products will be fold profiles of all transects with fracture information posted in stereonet form, and regional fracture synthesis of difference in fabric according to structural domain. Course instructors will be mindful of the daily schedules, so teams have sufficient time to work on their projects prior to group dinners.

Day 0

  • Travel to Great Falls, MT and transfer to Great Falls lodging.
  • Class: Introductory lecture and group dinner – Introduce the geologic context of Sawtooth Range and Western Montana foreland basin, both stratigraphic and structural history. Also assign “team” members for the Capstone project to be completed at the end of the course.

Day 1

  • Field: Observe and measure fracture trends in Cretaceous mixed lithology formations in a structurally “quiet” foreland basin setting.
    • Stop 1 – Rainbow Falls Overlook: Upper Kootenai Formation (Lower K) fractured outcrops along the Missouri River at Great Falls.
    • Stop 2 – Giant Springs State Park: Lower Kootenai Formation (Lower K) fractured outcrops along the Missouri River at Great Falls.
    • Stop 3 – Rainbow Falls Pavement: Lower Kootenai Formation (Lower K) fractured pavement outcrop in the Missouri River at Great Falls.
  • Return to Great Falls lodging for brief classroom discussion and release for dinner.


 Day 2

  • Travel: Check out of Great Falls lodging and drive towards Choteau, MT. 
    • Stop 1 – First People’s Buffalo Jump State Park: Vaughn and Bootlegger Members of Blackleaf Formation (Lower K), distal foreland basin overview.
    • Stop 2 – Fairfield Overview: Scenic overview stop to introduce the proximal foreland basin setting and Sawtooth Range.
    • Stop 3 – Priest Butte: Virgelle Formation (Upper K) fractured outcrops in proximal foreland setting.
  • Continue to lodging at Deep Canyon Guest Ranch for evening to check in and conduct brief classroom discussion of Teton Anticline and Greater Montana Disturbed Belt and group dinner.

Day 3

  • Main Teton Anticline Traverse: Depart on foot from Deep Canyon Guest Ranch to traverse the main anticline (Teton Anticline) and parasitic anticline (Little Teton Anticline) twice, north and south of the North Fork Teton River
    • Stops will involve measurement of dip planes and fracture trends to begin construction of a fold profile and model for fracture generation in response to folding.
    • Traverse will involve river crossings on foot. Hike will be quite strenuous with frequent climbs on 30 to 35-degree dipping planes on uneven outcrop and talus.
  • Return on foot to Deep Canyon Guest Ranch for brief classroom discussion and group dinner.

Day 4

  • Southern Teton Anticline Traverse: Depart on foot from Deep Canyon Guest Ranch to traverse the southern portion of the field area.
    • Stops will involve measurements of dip planes and fracture trends to further construction of fold profile and fracture model.
    • Key observations about fold geometry changes should be made.
    • Will encounter both Mississippian carbonates and Jurassic/Cretaceous clastics (Lower Cretaceous Kootenai, Lower Cretaceous Mount Pablo, Upper Jurassic Ellis Group and Morrison Formation). Key observations about fracture pattern change based on lithology are important takeaways from this traverse.
    • Additionally, we will observe and measure an exposed concretion field that will display unique fracture trends that can be helpful for stress field reconstruction.
    • Traverse will involve river crossings on foot. Hike will be quite strenuous with frequent climbs on 30 to 40-degree dip planes on uneven outcrop and talus.
  • Return on foot to Deep Canyon Guest Ranch for brief classroom discussion and group dinner.

Day 5

  • Northern Teton Anticline Traverse: Depart on foot from Deep Canyon Guest Ranch to traverse the northern portion of the field area.
    • Stops will involve measurements of dip planes and fracture trends to further construct a fold profile and fracture model.
    • Key observations about fold geometry changes should be made.
    • Will encounter Cretaceous clastic sediments (Lower Cretaceous Kootenai, Lower Cretaceous Mount Pablo, Upper Jurassic Ellis Group and Morrison Formation). Key observations about fracture pattern change based on lithology and structural position.
    • Traverse will be quite strenuous with climbs on 30 to 40-degree dips on uneven outcrop and talus. No water crossings during this traverse.
    • Return on foot to Deep Canyon Guest Ranch for brief classroom discussion and group dinner.


Day 6

  • Capstone Project: Distribute exercise data and utilize observations gathered in the field to construct a development plan for assigned asset area. Exercise and presentation of results will be done in a team setting.
  • Dependent upon completion time, there may be additional time to venture out and observe additional outcrops and geologic features of interest to the group.

Day 7

  • Check out of Deep Canyon Guest Ranch and drive to Great Falls, MT for individual travel home.

This field seminar is intended for geological and engineering professionals that undertake the appraisal and development of unconventional resources that involve natural fabric, which can cause variability in production and economic outcomes.

Dave Cannon

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Creties Jenkins

Background
Creties Jenkins is a Partner with Rose and Associates where he specializes in the characterization of unconventional reservoirs including tight sandstones and carbonates, shales, and coals. Creties has conducted integrated studies, peer reviews, training, and resources assessment work for 50+ companies around the world and has conducted 100+ industry courses and workshops focused on the exploration, appraisal, and development of tight oil and gas reservoirs. Creties’ career has included stints at Tenneco Oil (1986-88), ARCO (1988-2000), and DeGolyer and MacNaughton (2000-2012).

Creties has served as a technical editor, distinguished lecturer, and distinguished author for SPE.  He is a past president of the Energy Minerals Division of AAPG and a recipient of AAPG’s 2017 Distinguished Service Award. Creties is also a co-author of SPEE Monograph 4: Estimating Ultimate Recovery of Developed Wells in Low-Permeability Reservoirs (2016) and led a Multi-Professional Society Summit: Building and Applying the Universal Workflow for Low Permeability Oil and Gas Reservoirs (2017).

Affiliations and Accreditation
MSc South Dakota School of Mines - Geology
BSc South Dakota School of Mines - Geological Engineering
Registered Professional Geoscientist (Texas)
Registered Professional Engineer (Texas)

Courses Taught
N313: Evaluating Resource Plays: The Geology and Engineering of Low Permeability Oil and Gas Reservoirs
N406: Unconventional Resource Assessment and ValuationN313: Evaluating Resource Plays: The Geology and Engineering of Low Permeability
N464: Fractured Reservoir Assessment and Integration to Full Field
N510: Mitigating Bias, Blindness and Illusions in E&P Decision Making

CEU: 4.8 Continuing Education Units
PDH: 48 Professional Development Hours
Certificate: Certificate Issued Upon Completion
RPS is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and is authorized to issue the IACET CEU. We comply with the ANSI/IACET Standard, which is recognised internationally as a standard of excellence in instructional practices.
We issue a Certificate of Attendance which verifies the number of training hours attended. Our courses are generally accepted by most professional licensing boards/associations towards continuing education credits. Please check with your licensing board to determine if the courses and certificate of attendance meet their specific criteria.