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Case Studies 

Tight Oil Play Assessment for Junior Oil & Gas Company

Canada / 2020 / Reservoir Characterization

A consortium of resource companies required independent expertise to review more than 1 million acres of opportunity. The purpose of the assessment was to determine whether it was plausible to describe the stratigraphic zone as a potential shale/tight oil reservoir and, if warranted, to provide a volumetric assessment.

Project Highlights

  • One million acres of opportunity requires independent expertise
  • Sproule experts conclude zone could be a tight oil reservoir
  • Significant upside for E&P company results in continued exploration
  • Two years of additional data confirms original assessment

Challenge

  • A consortium of resource companies required independent expertise to review more than  1 million acres of opportunity
  • The zone of interest was commonly interpreted as source rock, with maturity ranging from the early oil window to the dry gas window; previous exploration in the area focused on diagenetic traps in carbonates
  • The purpose of the assessment was to determine whether it was plausible to describe the stratigraphic zone as a potential shale/tight oil reservoir and, if warranted, to provide a volumetric assessment

Solution

  • Two independent methods were used to estimate the present-day volume of hydrocarbons within the shale to capture the uncertainty: the first was a mapping of the pyrolysis S1 data and basin modelling, and the second was geological mapping using a gross isopach map in conjunction with petrophysical parameters
  • The pyrolysis data was interpreted to represent the minimum present-day residual oil saturation within the shale, and the volumetric analysis represented the total hydrocarbons that could currently be present within the shale

Value

  • Sproule concluded that the stratigraphic zone of interest could be described as a potential tight oil reservoir, indicating significant upside for an exploration and production (E&P) company
  • The assessment determined whether it was worthwhile for the consortium to conduct further investigation into these resources
  • After two years of exploration drilling, Sproule was contracted to update the original assessment to incorporate the results of eight new wells
  • The data from these wells supported the original assessment



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Jason Robottom, P.Eng.
Manager, Engineering

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