Paradigm to unveil new technologies for improved recovery in shale plays

US-based software-enabled solutions provider Paradigm is planning to unveil new technologies designed to help oil and gas operators assess the quality of shale plays and reduce drilling risks.

The company is set to demonstrate the new technological solutions from the Paradigm 17 solution suite at the 2017 URTeC unconventional resources technology conference, which is scheduled to be held later this month in Austin, Texas.

According to the company, the proposed tools will provide shale geoscientists and engineers with insights into the properties and geometries of shale formations.

Paradigm Geoscience executive vice-president Duane Dopkin said: “Paradigm has a long history of providing geoscientists with advanced tools to evaluate shale heterogeneity and fabric.

“Our R&D teams have invested significantly in advanced seismic, borehole and subsurface modelling methods that optimise production in unconventional assets, with a number of technology breakthroughs for characterising, modelling, and stimulating shale plays.”

In addition to full-azimuth seismic imaging and fracture characterisation, the technology makes use of precision depthing, integrated rock type classification, and multi-mineral and geomechanical borehole analysis methods. 

The company noted that the outputs from the methodologies are stored in an integrated earth model for well planning, optimisation of field operations, stimulation analysis, as well as geosteering.

Dopkin added: “These tools have proven to be instrumental in helping oil and gas operators understand reservoir quality and performance, and have led to a reduction in drilling risk.”

Utilising high-science solutions, the multi-disciplinary programme is expected to assist geoscientists in increasing accuracy and productivity in exploration and production, leading to enhanced recovery and lower exploitation cost and risk. 

The topics to be presented at the conference include high-resolution diffraction imaging, precision depthing, reservoir modelling, petrophysical interpretation, interactive well planning, and machine learning for facies prediction. 

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Image: Display of data integration in a subsurface model using SKUA-GOCAD in the Eagle Ford shale. Photo: courtesy of Paradigm.