Research findings help characterize Fort Worth basin's Barnett shale

Journal Article · Mon Mar 08 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Oil and Gas Journal; (United States)

OSTI ID:6449390

Lancaster, D E ^[1]; McKetta, S ^[2]; Lowry, P H ^[3]

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1. S.A. Holditch and Assoc., College Station, TX (United States)
2. Mitchell Energy Corp., Houston, TX (United States)
3. K and A Energy Consultants Inc., Tulsa, OK (United States)

Analytical techniques that have grown out of the Gas Research Institute's Appalachian basin research effort are being successfully applied to the Mississippian Barnett shale of Texas' Fort Worth basin. Analysis has shown that well performance can be explained by a layered reservoir description, productive pay may be overstated by log analysis, productivity is enhanced by natural fractures, and long, bounded, high conductivity fractures are indeed being created and propped. As with the Appalachian shales, the key to fracture treatment optimization appears to be a better characterization of the Barnett shale via an integration of log and test data. The paper describes the geologic setting, drilling since 1981, a summary of the cooperative work performed on the 2 T.P. Sims well, the shale-specific log, core analysis fracture orientation, frac treatment analysis, and production data analysis.

• OSTI ID: 6449390
• Journal Information: Oil and Gas Journal; (United States), Vol. 91:10; ISSN 0030-1388
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
EXPLORATION
NATURAL GAS WELLS
FRACTURING
TEXAS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGY
NATURAL GAS
PRODUCTION
PROPPING AGENTS
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SHALES
WELL DRILLING
WELL LOGGING
WELL STIMULATION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DRILLING
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
STIMULATION
USA
WELLS
030200* - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
030300 - Natural Gas- Drilling
Production
& Processing