Cottageville (Mount Alto) gas field, Jackson County, West Virginia: a case study of Devonian shale-gas production

Technical Report · Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:6220555

Nuckols, III, E B

Exploration and development of Middle and Upper Devonian organic shales in the Cottageville gas field of western West Virginia began in the late 1920s. Continued development has lead to the drilling of over 110 shale wells with accumulative production of more than 10 billion cubic feet of natural gas. Data indicate primary production from zones of organic shales in the Lower Huron Member of the Ohio Shale Formation. Due to the extremely low porosity (3 to 4 percent) and permeability (less than 0.1 millidarcy) of these shales, gas production is considered to be through natural fracture systems. These fracture systems have partially been delineated through the study of oriented cores. Historically, production of gas has been through natural completion or by stimulation with gelled nitroglycerine. Varied success of this stimulation technique has recently led to more advanced types of stimulation (hydraulic and foam fracturing). Total production, natural gas flow trends, final gas flow trends, and structural breaks and trends have led to the delineation of the fractured shale reservoir. Careful examination of these parameters can lead to the exploration and development of successful shale wells within and near the gas field. 36 figures, 10 tables.

• Research Organization: West Virginia Univ., Morgantown (USA). Dept. of Geology and Geography
• DOE Contract Number: AC21-76ET12138
• OSTI ID: 6220555
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/12138-1359; ON: DE83008302
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS
PRODUCTION
NATURAL GAS FIELDS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
EXPLOSIVE FRACTURING
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
WEST VIRGINIA
BLACK SHALES
DEVONIAN PERIOD
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FOAMS
WELL STIMULATION
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHATTANOOGA FORMATION
COLLOIDS
COMMINUTION
DATA
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION III
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURING
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
INFORMATION
MATERIALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
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NUMERICAL DATA
OIL SHALES
PALEOZOIC ERA
RESOURCES
STIMULATION
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WELLS
030900* - Natural Gas- Artificial Stimulation
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