Low-Frequency Seismic Helps Locate Sweet Spots in Tight Gas Sands Plays

摘要

The United States is continuing to see growth in unconventional natural gas production. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, there are more than 309 trillion cubic feet of recoverable tight natural gas deposits in the United States, representing 17 percent of the country's total natural gas reserves. While the headlines may be focused on shale plays, tight sands account for one-fourth of total U.S. gas production today, producing some 6 million Tcf of gas each year. However, identifying and developing gas in these plays-where the rock formations are too impermeable for the gas to flow naturally-poses significant challenges to operators. Furthermore, experience also has shown that not all areas of a tight gas play are equally productive, with different drilling locations providing wells with different economic results. While traditional seismic activities continue to play a crucial role in tight gas exploration, operators are looking to other technologies that can identify potentially highly-productive "sweet spots" that yield the best development economics within a tight sands field.