Oil and Gas

Participants will learn to:

1. Evaluate the basics of stress analysis and geomechanics, including the interrelationship between stress and strain in the context of geomechanical rock behavior. 
2. Characterize mechanical stratigraphy based on lithostratigraphy and other information. 
3. Assess the role of mechanical stratigraphy and stress conditions on rock deformation behavior, including fracture prediction in unconventional and conventional reservoirs. 
4. Estimate an in situ stress field for an area of interest. 
5. Predict the likely effects of pore fluid pressure changes on existing fractures.
6. Employ outcrop analogs to create geomechanical models of a reservoir.
7. Evaluate geomechanical issues for common petroleum and unconventional resource applications such as stress estimation, and hydraulic fracturing.  
8. Plan and evaluate a geomechanics study.

Extensional fault-related folding (e.g. Big Brushy Canyon monocline) and exposures of Cretaceous carbonate and fine-grained clastic rocks in the Marathon area will provide the opportunity to study mechanical stratigraphy and deformation behavior of both unconventional reservoirs (e.g. Eagle Ford Formation/Boquillas Formation) and conventional reservoirs (e.g. Edwards/Santa Elena Limestone and Caballos Novaculite).

Itinerary (subject to revision)

Day 0:
Travel to Midland, Texas and drive to Marathon, Texas.
Course introduction and safety briefing followed by group dinner.
Overnight in Marathon each night.

Day 1: Field, exposures in Black Gap Wildlife Management Area
Examination of field exposures and data collection for geomechanical modeling exercise.  Emphasis will be placed on defining the problem, constraining geometry, characterizing mechanical stratigraphy, assessing likely boundary and initial conditions, and evaluating appropriate data for model validation.

Day 2: Classroom, Marathon
Overview of fundamental concepts, such as stress (including pore fluid pressure), strain and deformation, mechanical stratigraphy, and rock behavior. Introduction to fundamentals of geomechanical modeling, including understanding and defining the problem, alternative approaches (e.g., numerical, physical analog, finite element, boundary element, and discrete element modeling) and key steps to success (appropriate choices of geometry, boundary and initial conditions, material properties) will be provided.Day

Day 3: Field, exposures in Big Bend National Park
Examination of field exposures and data collection for geomechanical modeling exercise. Emphasis will be placed on defining the problem, constraining geometry, characterizing mechanical stratigraphy, assessing likely boundary and initial conditions, and evaluating appropriate data for model validation.

Day 4: Classroom, Marathon
Detailed discussion of numerical geomechanical modeling using finite element methods. Using data from Days 1 and 3 fieldwork, participants will conduct a hands-on modeling exercise that includes building the model (define geometry, assign material models and properties, apply loading conditions, specify outputs) and running the numerical simulation.

Participants will analyze and interpret model results using the fieldwork of the previous days to provide real world context. There will also be discussion and exercises to perform stress analyses based on a variety of inputs including geological maps, field data, structural interpretations from seismic reflection, and well data. Applications of stress and geomechanical analysis to conventional and unconventional reservoir exploration and production (borehole scale, reservoir scale, field scale). 

Day 5: Field, Boquillas / Eagle Ford exposures between Marathon and Del Rio, Texas
Examine outcrop deformation of reservoir analogs with emphasis on comparing and contrasting deformation behavior of different mechanical layers. Discussion on how observations affect geomechanical models and stress analyses.

Day 6:
Return to Midland, Texas, flights home

This course is relevant to geologists, geophysicists, petrophysicists, and engineers who want to develop a fundamental understanding of geomechanics and stress and their application to energy exploration and production.