3-D Seismic Optimization in Marcellus Shale Development
Chadwick J. Cunningham and Peter A. Sullivan
Energy Corporation of America, Charleston WV
[email protected],
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In a low natural gas price environment, the task of remaining profitable becomes ever more daunting. The first reaction is to cut back on tools and resources that some may deem unnecessary. This can have the unintended consequence of lowering the efficiency of the well, and thus ultimately defeating the purpose of the cuts. The real battle was fought long before prices started to fall, in the efficient layout and development of the entire field.
Money spent early in a project can reap large gains later or allow for continued drilling at suboptimal prices. Eliminating a modest service can never come close to improving the economics of a field as removing redundant or ineffective wells or pads all together. Seismic data can be used to avoid geohazards or extend wells to improve reserves. Training employees to perform services such as geosteering can help control the cost of the service and optimize lateral placement.
This presentation will explore the differences in costs between two hypothetical development scenarios, as well as presenting an example of an efficiently planned Marcellus field, in southwestern Pennsylvania, that is currently being developed.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90154©2012 AAPG Eastern Section Meeting, Cleveland, Ohio, 22-26 September 2012