Objectives:
This course provides petroleum engineers, geoscientists, and energy professionals with a comprehensive understanding of unconventional reservoirs, including shale, tight gas, and coalbed methane formations. Participants will learn key engineering principles, reservoir characterization techniques, and production strategies to optimize hydrocarbon recovery from these challenging formations.
Audience:
This course is designed for reservoir engineers, geoscientists, production engineers, and technical professionals involved in the development and optimization of unconventional reservoirs such as shale, tight oil, and gas formations.
Methodology:
The course combines theoretical lectures with practical case studies and exercises. It emphasizes modern engineering workflows, diagnostic tools, and performance evaluation methods tailored to unconventional resources, fostering active participation and technical application.
Scope:
The course covers the unique characteristics of unconventional reservoirs, from reservoir properties and fluid flow behavior to completion design, production forecasting, and decline curve analysis. It focuses on optimizing development strategies and maximizing recovery under challenging reservoir conditions.
Course Program:
Module 1: Introduction to Unconventional Reservoirs (2 Hours)
- Definition and classification of unconventional reservoirs
- Comparison with conventional reservoirs
- Global trends and economic significance
Module 2: Petrophysics and Reservoir Characterization (3 Hours)
- Rock and fluid properties of unconventional reservoirs
- Pore structure and permeability challenges
- Geomechanics and its impact on production
Module 3: Flow Mechanisms and Reservoir Behavior (3 Hours)
- Fluid flow in tight and nanoporous media
- Single-phase vs. multi-phase flow considerations
- Transient and boundary-dominated flow regimes
Module 4: Hydraulic Fracturing and Well Stimulation (3 Hours)
- Principles of hydraulic fracturing
- Fracture propagation modeling
- Well spacing and interference effects
Module 5: Decline Curve Analysis and Production Forecasting (3 Hours)
- Common production decline models
- EUR estimation techniques
- Challenges in forecasting unconventional reservoirs
Module 6: Reservoir Simulation and Modeling (3 Hours)
- Numerical models for unconventional reservoirs
- History matching and uncertainty analysis
- Case studies in simulation applications
Module 7: Economic and Environmental Considerations (2 Hours)
- Cost analysis and project feasibility
- Environmental impacts and regulatory frameworks
- Future trends in unconventional resource development
