--> Bittersweet Encounters in the Wellbore: Application of the Wellsite Mass Spectrometer in 3D Unconventional Resource Development of Niobrara and Mowry assets in the Powder River Basin
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AAPG Rocky Mountain Section Meeting

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Bittersweet Encounters in the Wellbore: Application of the Wellsite Mass Spectrometer in 3D Unconventional Resource Development of Niobrara and Mowry assets in the Powder River Basin

Abstract

The literature abounds with technical information to locate the sweet spot in an unconventional asset, but the inverse concept has been largely neglected. This is usually attributed to the lack of suitable tools and interpretive expertise. The wellsite mass spectrometer is an exception to this generalization when the raw data is suitably utilized in comprehensive interpretive schemes. This is accomplished in data analytic Previous HitdeconvolutionNext Hit of the collective mass spectra signal to determine hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon composition during real time in the drilling mud system. Critical "bittersweet" components include the influx of water, inorganic dilutant (e.g., hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide), leaky top seals, and the potential for depleted compartments. The individual wellbore mass spec data is post-processed to provide visualization of the key parameters that are particularly insightful when the full gambit of well bores are viewed simultaneously in 3D. This includes the systematic influx to the wellbore of a particular bittersweet component, such as water via fractures and/or faults. The method is likewise extended to the Previous HitpredictiveNext Hit realm as prior wells can be used to build a Previous HitpredictiveTop 3D model by taking advantage of the interchangeable format of data manipulation from fluid inclusion stratigraphic (i.e., FIS) analysis. This approach is effective at resolving the under-utilized field data conundrum by providing a platform for the proper alignment of people, processes, and technologies to provide the answers to issues like well spacing in asset management.