string(18) "[Energy-Resources]"

Quantification of the Gas in Place and Flow Characteristics of Tight Gas Charged Rocks and Gas Shale Potential in British Columbia

Lead Researcher(s):  M. Bustin

Project ID:  2008-013

Key Research Organization(s):  University of British Columbia

Project Location:  Northeast BC

Strategic Focus Area:  Energy-Resources

Summary



Project AreaSignificant resources of unconventional gas exist in British Columbia, particularly in rocks generally referred to as gas shales.

Rapid growth of the unconventional gas industry in general, and in BC in particular, has not been paralleled with increased understanding of the geological processes that determine gas in place capacity, methods for quantifying gas in place or the flow characteristics of the rocks, all of which are critical to economic development.

This 2008 project had two inter-related components:
  1. Development of better methodologies for determining gas in place in gas shales and the matrix flow characteristics (permeability and diffusivity), and
  2. Quantification of the gas in place and flow capacity of important gas shales in northeastern BC using established and novel methodologies.
The research program targeted the formations of most interest to industry at the time, including the Devonian section in the Horn River Basin and Cordova Embayment as well as the Montney Formation. Additionally, the prject built on preliminary studies on the Buckinghorse - Ft. St. John Group and Shaftesbury Formation shales which had received little exploration at the time.