New shale technologies, best practices

Multi-stage fracturing image courtesy of Schlumberger.

While shale exploration and production in the international arena are still in their infancy, North American shale activity has transitioned, from the initial excitement of the discovery of new plays, to the slow and steady efforts of understanding reservoir variability through seismic surveys, wireline and LWD logging, and core analyses, followed by improving drilling efficiency through multi-well pad drilling. The use of rotary steerable drilling with geosteering is keeping the laterals within the sweet spot. Laterals are getting longer to the edge of the lease boundary.

While declining production from individual wells remains a characteristic of shale E&P, operators are drilling more wells and going deeper into new formations, extending the areal extent of their drilling activity.

World Oil is pleased to present its second Shale Technology Review, which provides firsthand knowledge about the best practices and recent technology advances in shale geophysics and geology, drilling, fracturing and water management.