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Geomechanics for CCS projects (EC031)
Course Summary
Geomechanical modelling is essential for prediction of likely effects from a planned CCS project, or to understand behaviour of an ongoing project. It is applied to assessment of caprock integrity, fault reactivation, induced seismicity, fracture influence on reservoir flow, reservoir management, drilling and completion parameters.
The course will begin with some core elements of geomechanics and progress to description and examples of sophisticated geomechanical modelling in the context of CCS. The link is drawn between geomechanical and permeability changes, as indicated from laboratory experiments and from well tests, with its key consequences for CCS. Field experience in a range of CCS projects is reviewed, emphasising any indications of geomechanical influence and ways of monitoring behaviour.
The course considers mechanical Earth models, why they are created, the pre-requisites and steps of how they are created, and an overview of applications relevant to CCS. Operations can modify simultaneously pore pressures, temperatures, and stresses in the reservoir and surrounding formations. The techniques and software available to study the effect of these temporal changes in 4D will be reviewed.
This course is aimed at subsurface oil and gas professionals who are familiar with CCS and would like to understand the issues relating to geomechanics for CCS projects.
Available H2 2023
Course Details
Course duration and training method
Courses are accessed on the RPS Learning Hub, each course consists of a series of modules of up to 90 minutes learning time, including self-assessment elements. Learning materials are structured into short sections, each including interactive text and image content, animations, video and audio. An end of course quiz is scored to provide the learner with their learning progress.
Course Duration: 7 Hours
Learning outcomes
Participants will learn to:
- Appraise the critical importance of geomechanics to CCS projects.
- Assess geomechanical aspects of caprock integrity, fault reactivation, induced seismicity, fracture influence, reservoir management, drilling and completion parameters.
- Evaluate mechanical Earth models as applied in a CCS context.
- Determine the ways that operations can simultaneously modify reservoir pore pressures, temperatures, and stresses in the reservoir and surrounding formations.
Course content
Introduction to geomechanics
- Importance of geomechanics to CCS – an overview
- Basic geomechanics
Stresses and their importance
- Stress states
- Faults, fractures & stress
- Near-critical earth’s crust
Geomechanical influence on permeabilities and monitoring changes
- Permeability and geomechanical changes
- Fault Seal/Conductivity
- Monitoring geomechanics in CCS project
- Field examples of geomechanical influence on production
Mechanical Earth Modelling Fundamentals
- Basics of mechanical Earth modelling
- Why do we create mechanical Earth models?
- How to create mechanical Earth models
- Pre-requisites
- Steps
- Applications of Mechanical Earth Modelling
3D Mechanical Earth Modelling – An Example - Groningen Field
- Model Preparation
- Numerical Modelling
4D Mechanical Earth Modelling – An Example
- Basics of 4D mechanical Earth modelling