Tapping New Frontiers: Unconventional Resources Exploration Training Course

Introduction

As conventional oil and gas reserves become more challenging and costly to discover, the global energy industry has increasingly turned its attention to vast, yet technically complex, unconventional hydrocarbon resources. These include shale oil and gas, tight gas, coalbed methane, and gas hydrates, which require specialized exploration, drilling, and production techniques to unlock their potential. Understanding the unique geological characteristics and development challenges of these resources is critical for future energy supply.

This intensive training course is meticulously designed to equip participants with a comprehensive and practical understanding of unconventional resources exploration. From exploring the fundamental geological characteristics of various unconventional plays and mastering specialized data acquisition techniques to analyzing reservoir properties, completion strategies, and economic viability, you will gain the expertise to identify and evaluate these complex resources. This empowers you to contribute to new exploration frontiers, optimize development plans, and strategically position your organization in the evolving landscape of global energy production.

Target Audience

  • Geologists and Geophysicists in Exploration.
  • Reservoir Engineers and Production Engineers.
  • Drilling and Completions Engineers.
  • Exploration Managers and Technical Staff.
  • Investment Analysts and Financial Professionals in Oil & Gas.
  • Government Regulators and Policy Makers in Energy Sector.
  • Students and Academics in Earth Sciences and Petroleum Engineering.
  • Anyone seeking to understand the unique aspects of unconventional hydrocarbon plays.

Duration: 10 days

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this training course, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the fundamental geological characteristics and definitions of various unconventional hydrocarbon resources.
  • Grasp the unique exploration challenges and strategies for shale oil/gas, tight gas, and coalbed methane.
  • Analyze specialized data acquisition techniques (e.g., microseismic, advanced logging) for unconventional plays.
  • Comprehend the petrophysical properties and reservoir behavior of unconventional formations.
  • Evaluate the role of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling in unlocking unconventional resources.
  • Develop practical skills in identifying and assessing the prospectivity of unconventional plays.
  • Navigate the environmental and regulatory considerations associated with unconventional resource development.
  • Formulate robust strategies for integrating unconventional exploration into overall energy portfolios.

Course Content

  1. Introduction to Unconventional Hydrocarbons
  • Defining Unconventional Resources Module: hydrocarbons requiring specialized techniques for economic production
  • Overview of Major Unconventional Types Module: shale oil/gas, tight gas, coalbed methane, gas hydrates
  • Distinction from Conventional Resources Module: source rock as reservoir, low permeability, diffused accumulations
  • Global Distribution and Significance Module: major unconventional plays worldwide, energy supply implications
  • The growing importance of unconventional resources in the global energy mix
  1. Shale Oil and Shale Gas Exploration
  • Geological Characteristics of Shales Module: organic richness, thermal maturity, mineralogy, brittleness
  • Source Rock as Reservoir Module: understanding the dual role of shale
  • Exploration Strategies for Shale Plays Module: regional assessment, sweet spot identification
  • Petrophysics of Shales Module: challenges in porosity, saturation, and permeability estimation
  • Geomechanical Properties of Shales Module: importance for hydraulic fracturing
  1. Tight Gas and Tight Oil Exploration
  • Defining Tight Reservoirs Module: very low permeability sandstone or carbonate reservoirs
  • Geological Characteristics of Tight Sands/Carbonates Module: depositional environments, diagenesis
  • Exploration Strategies for Tight Plays Module: identifying regional trends, subtle traps
  • Petrophysics of Tight Formations Module: challenges with low porosity and permeability
  • Natural Fractures in Tight Reservoirs Module: their impact on productivity
  1. Coalbed Methane (CBM) Exploration
  • Defining Coalbed Methane Module: gas adsorbed in coal seams
  • Geological Characteristics of Coal Seams Module: rank, thickness, cleat system
  • Exploration Strategies for CBM Module: identifying prospective coal basins
  • Reservoir Properties of CBM Module: gas content, permeability of cleats, water saturation
  • Production Mechanisms of CBM Module: dewatering, desorption
  1. Data Acquisition for Unconventional Resources
  • Advanced Well Logging Module: NMR, image logs, elemental capture spectroscopy, geomechanical logs
  • Microseismic Monitoring Module: mapping hydraulic fracture propagation
  • Core Analysis for Unconventionals Module: special core analysis (SCAL), geomechanical testing
  • Seismic Attributes and Inversion Module: for fracture detection, brittleness estimation, sweet spot identification
  • Specialized data for characterizing complex unconventional reservoirs
  1. Drilling and Completion Technologies for Unconventionals
  • Horizontal Drilling Module: extended reach drilling, multilateral wells
  • Multi-Stage Hydraulic Fracturing Module: principles, proppant selection, fluid chemistry
  • Wellbore Placement and Geosteering Module: optimizing well path within target zone
  • Drilling and Completion Challenges Module: wellbore stability, induced seismicity
  • The critical role of drilling and completions in unlocking unconventional potential
  1. Reservoir Engineering for Unconventional Resources
  • Flow Regimes in Unconventional Reservoirs Module: transient linear flow, boundary-dominated flow
  • Decline Curve Analysis (DCA) Module: specialized methods for unconventional production forecasting
  • Material Balance for Unconventionals Module: adapting traditional methods
  • Reservoir Simulation for Unconventionals Module: fractured reservoir models, dual porosity/permeability
  • Understanding the unique production behavior of unconventional reservoirs
  1. Economic Evaluation of Unconventional Projects
  • High Capital Costs Module: drilling and completion intensity
  • Production Decline Rates Module: steep initial decline, long tails
  • Economic Indicators Module: NPV, IRR, payback period for unconventional plays
  • Break-Even Analysis Module: impact of oil/gas prices, drilling costs
  • Risk and Uncertainty in Unconventional Economics Module: geological, operational, market risks
  • Assessing the financial viability of unconventional ventures
  1. Environmental and Regulatory Considerations
  • Water Management Module: sourcing, usage, disposal of frac water
  • Induced Seismicity Module: causes, monitoring, mitigation
  • Greenhouse Gas Emissions Module: methane leakage, flaring
  • Land Use and Community Impact Module: surface footprint, social license to operate
  • Regulatory Frameworks Module: evolving regulations for unconventional development
  • Addressing the environmental and social challenges
  1. Gas Hydrates and Future Unconventional Resources
  • Defining Gas Hydrates Module: ice-like compounds containing methane
  • Global Distribution of Gas Hydrates Module: potential as a future energy source
  • Exploration and Production Challenges Module: technical complexity, environmental risks
  • Other Frontier Unconventionals Module: geothermal energy, enhanced geothermal systems (EGS)
  • The long-term outlook for unconventional resources and their role in the energy transition.

CERTIFICATION

  • Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with Macskills Training and Development Institute Certificate

TRAINING VENUE

  • Training will be held at Macskills Training Centre. We also tailor make the training upon request at different locations across the world.

AIRPORT PICK UP AND ACCOMMODATION

  • Airport pick up and accommodation is arranged upon request

TERMS OF PAYMENT

Payment should be made to Macskills Development Institute bank account before the start of the training and receipts sent to info@macskillsdevelopment.com

For More Details call: +254-114-087-180

 

Tapping New Frontiers: Unconventional Resources Exploration Training Course in Qatar
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