Oil and Gas
Oil and Gas | Structure and Tectonics
Geomechanics for Gas Storage Projects
Course Code: EC054
Course Outline:
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Format and Duration:
4 hours
This course focuses on the significance of geomechanics in gas storage projects, addressing the associated risks, potential leakage, and the impact of pressure cycling on fracturing and formation integrity. Participants will be introduced to fundamental geomechanical concepts, including stress, strain, and rock failure mechanisms. The course will explore geomechanically induced changes in fault and fracture permeability, essential for understanding fluid movement in the subsurface. The course will also cover global induced seismicity, its causes, and associated magnitudes, using case studies from the Iona Gas Field in Australia and the Castor Gas Field in Spain. Finally, the introduction of Mechanical Earth Models (MEMs) will demonstrate how these models can provide critical insights into subsurface conditions, aiding in risk management and ensuring the structural integrity of underground operations.
Business impact: Geomechanical modelling is essential for the prediction of likely effects from planned or ongoing gas storage operations. It is applied to the assessment of pressure cycling effects, caprock integrity, fault reactivation, induced seismicity, fracture influence on fluid flow and drilling and completion parameters. This makes geomechanics a key tool for predicting hazards and mitigating risk as well as maximising the efficiency and productivity of a project.
Training Method
This is a self-paced e-learning course, approximately 4 hours learning time, consisting of 4 modules. Within each module the learning materials are structured into short sections, each including interactive text and image content, animations, video, and audio. Each module has a scored quiz at the end to provide the learner with their learning progress.
Course Overview
Learning Outcomes
Participants will learn to:
- Understand the role of geomechanics in gas storage projects and the geomechanical risks associated with gas injection, production and pressure cycling.
- Gain insights into leakage and caprock breaches as warnings of potential hazards.
- Learn fundamental concepts of stress, strain, and rock failure mechanisms.
- Develop skills in flowrate fluctuations and flowrate correlation analysis.
- Explore the causes and magnitudes of global induced seismicity, including seismicity induced from gas storage activity.
- Consider real world case studies of induced seismicity associated with gas storage operations at Iona and Castor gas fields.
- Explore the creation and application of Mechanical Earth Models (MEMs).
Course Content
EM0193 Importance of Geomechanics for Gas Storage Projects – An Overview
This module will consider the importance of Geomechanics in the context of a gas storage project. Key topics covered will include geomechanical risks associated with gas storage projects, the potential for leakage and breaches and the effect of pressure cycling on fracturing and formation integrity.
EM0194 Basics of Geomechanics for Gas Storage Projects
This module will introduce you to the fundamental concepts used in Geomechanics. The module will begin by looking at stress, strain and elastic moduli and the concepts and definitions related to them. The learner will develop an understanding of stresses in the earth and how to measure them and learn about effective, poroelastic and thermoelastic strains. Finally the module will consider the situations that may lead to rock failure and the differences between brittle and ductile failure.
EM0195 Induced Permeability and Seismicity – Gas Storage Projects
In this module, you will learn about geomechanically induced changes in fault and fracture permeability, crucial for understanding fluid movement in subsurface reservoirs. You will develop an understanding of the Earth's geomechanical state and the evidence that supports this. The module covers flowrate fluctuations and flowrate correlation analysis, equipping the participant with skills to analyse and predict flow behaviour. You will also learn about global induced seismicity, its causes, and the range of magnitudes associated with these events. The Iona Gas Field in Australia and Castor Gas field in Spain will be considered as case studies.
EM0192 Mechanical Earth Modelling (MEM) for the Gas Storage Industry
In this module, a Mechanical Earth Model (MEM) is introduced as a detailed, data-driven representation of the subsurface, combining geological, geophysical, and geomechanical information to predict the mechanical behaviour of rock formations. MEMs are important because they provide critical insights into subsurface conditions, helping to manage risks and ensure the structural integrity of underground operations.
Accreditation and Certification
Certificate: Certificate Issued Upon Completion
RPS is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and is authorized to issue the IACET CEU. We comply with the ANSI/IACET Standard, which is recognised internationally as a standard of excellence in instructional practices.
We issue a Certificate of Attendance which verifies the number of training hours attended. Our courses are generally accepted by most professional licensing boards/associations towards continuing education credits. Please check with your licensing board to determine if the courses and certificate of attendance meet their specific criteria.