A Comprehensive Reservoir Evaluation of a Shale Reservoir—The New Albany Shale

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents the results of a comprehensive reservoir evaluation of the New Albany shale reservoir in northern Kentucky and southern Indiana and Illinois. Although initially compared with the Antrim shale in the Michigan basin, the New Albany shale has been found to have very different production characteristics than the Antrim. This paper presents the results of a comprehensive study performed on behalf of the New Albany Shale Producibility Consortium (NASPC). The objectives of this study were to determine the controls on production characteristics of wells in the New Albany shale, understand well reserves, and ascertain the potential for future development in the play. The reservoir evaluation included all available geologic, formation evaluation, production, and reservoir data from multiple fields within the play. During this study, core testing was conducted to develop baseline properties required for reservoir evaluation. Study results indicated that fracture characteristics within the play are the key driver for well production characteristics and reserves. In addition, we found that matrix gas porosity, bulk permeability, methane adsorption characteristics, and net pay thickness also differentiate the New Albany shale reservoir from the Antrim. The results also indicated that horizontal wells may have the potential to improve productivity and reserves within the play by specifically targeting the characteristics of the fracture pattern within the reservoir. The results of this paper may be useful to producers in fractured shale plays who wish to improve their understanding of flow characteristics and well performance. The work presented in this paper is important because it increases the knowledge base of shale reservoir properties and characteristics and because it describes an approach that can be used to characterize shale reservoirs.