Gas Exploration and Development Strategies in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin

摘要

The Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) is arnmajor source of natural gas supply for the North Americanrnmarket, with Y2000 basin productivity at more than 16 Bcf/d.rnSignificant natural decline requires that in excess of 3 Bcf/d ofrnnew supply must be added each year simply to maintainrnconstant basin deliverability. In addition, the average raternadded per well continued to decrease while the initial declinernrate increased. During the decade of the 1990s, over 25 Bcf/drnof new western Canadian gas deliverability was added, fromrnover 42,000 new producing well events.rnBased on the year of pool discovery and the year that thernarea was first connected to the delivery system, there are fourrndefinable Exploration and Development strategies. Each ofrnthe four strategies (Exploration, Connection, Developmentrnand Renewal) contributed a significant amount of gas raternadditions. What role will exploration and developmentrnstrategies play in future gas supply?rnThis paper illustrates the trends in gas supply additionsrnover the last decade, including a view of the geographicrndistribution, as well as other attributes. There is also arncomparison of the portfolios of E&D strategies that operatorsrnemployed. A brief synopsis of the methodology followed torndetermine a consistent measurement of gas rate-additions isrnalso presented.rnCareful analysis of the historical results has yielded usefulrninsights for operators as they make their choices about theirrnfuture activities.