Reservoir Characterization and Production Properties
Currently, numerous oil and gas companies are directing their efforts toward the exploration and exploitation of the Niobrara Formation in several basins in the Rocky Mountain region. Production is from organic-rich, calcareous mudstones and chalk which locally have a fracture component. This unconventional oil and gas reservoir has proved to be challenging in terms of reservoir characterization, predicting producibility potential, estimating ultimate recovery, and optimizing fracture stimulation techniques. Many companies either do not have or have limited rock property data that are crucial for understanding these reservoirs. Therefore, in order to properly evaluate and explore the Niobrara, appropriate types of rock property data need to be measured and integrated with log data, stimulation techniques, and production test information. These integrated data sets and case histories will provide operators with the critical parameters to optimize their exploitation of the Niobrara and reduce finding and development costs.
The Integrated Reservoir Solutions Division of Core Laboratories is proposing to interested companies participation in a multi-company, geo-engineering, regional study of the Niobrara. This project consists of the characterization and evaluation of numerous conventional cores, rotary sidewall cores, public domain cores, and drill cutting samples taken from multiple wells targeting the Niobrara. Specifically, the prospective section will be analyzed for geological, petrophysical, geomechanical, geochemical, and production properties. These data will be integrated with well logs, stimulation designs, and production test information. This large and searchable database will provide operators with valuable information not only on their own wells within the Niobrara section, but also on other operator’s wells. The project will be focused on evaluating numerous Niobrara wells in the DJ, Piceance, Powder River, North Park, Sand Wash, Raton, San Juan, and Green River basins.