The Gas Research Institute and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (Nyserda) have agreed to undertake a series of cooperatively funded field tests to help validate new technologies for developing New York`s unconventional gas and oil reserves, including tight sands and shales.
Called the Advanced Drilling and Production Technology Program, the project will unite developers of exploration and production technology with natural gas producers. The operators will provide access to production sites and some funding for testing of new drilling and completion technologies, says GRI.
"The program`s goals are to improve natural gas drilling completion productivity, reduce field development costs, and enhance field and storage productivity in New York," said GRI. Nyserda and GRI will be primary funders and managers of the program and will provide technical expertise and technology transfer.
"The Appalachian basin holds a lot of promise for New York producers," said Charles Brandenburg, industry liaison for GRI`s E&P division. "This partnership with Nyserda offers a great opportunity to enhance production and completion in New York using products and processes developed by GRI and its partners."
Nyserda Pres. F. William Valentino said, "For years, New York state`s oil and gas industry has been a well-kept secret. Technological advances in the industry are making it more and more attractive to locate new reservoirs, drill new wells, and revisit existing wells to increase their productivity.
"For a state that imports about $34 billion (worth) of energy every year, it`s very important to take advantage of these new technologies to maximize production of the indigenous energy resources we have. That is the primary goal of this GRI-Nyserda program."
Field tests
Two field tests are scheduled in the next few months.
In one test, Pittsburgh-based Hol- ditch Reservoir Technologies, a division of Schlumberger Technology Corp., let subcontracts to Advanced Resources International Inc., Arlington, Va., and Intelligent Solutions, Morgantown, W.Va., to perform a restimulation feasibility analysis in western New York, an area likely to benefit from restimulation.
"Once well candidates are identified, service companies and operators will verify each well`s restimulation promise using short-term pressure tests," said GRI. The best candidates (no more than five) will be chosen.
GRI says it has used restimulation in other tight gas well evaluations in Wyoming, Colorado, and Texas.
In a second field test, National Fuel Gas Supply Corp. (Nfgsc), Buffalo, will apply high-resolution gas reservoir imaging using Crosswell seismic imaging on two storage wells in the same sand region. TomoSeis Corp., Houston, will serve as a project subcontractor.
"Crosswell seismic is an emerging technology that provides a unique opportunity to image reservoirs in high resolution," said GRI.
"To effectively manage a reservoir, it is important to know (its) subsurface structure and architectureellipseto help lower development risks and costs. Target wells have been selected in Nfgsc`s Nashville storage field in western New York. The wells are about 1,200 ft apart and about 2,500 ft deep.
"It`s hoped that Crosswell imaging will provide data not attainable on other wells (such as pay thickness and continuity), help identify wells that can be effectively replugged, and help read wells that cannot be logged with quantitative tools."
A third project for the program will be the development and demonstration of an advanced decline-curve model for New York operators.
"This model will help identify economically sound restimulation well candidates using a combination of reservoir comparisons, production data analysis, and advanced modeling technology," said GRI. The Medina- Whirlpool sand region will be the initial site to apply the model.
GRI and Nyserda let contract to Advanced Resources International for development of the model and a subsequent modeling software program. n