Aadish Gupta, MSc Student, University of Alberta

Biography:

Aadish is a second year M.Sc. student in Petroleum Engineering at the University of Alberta, under supervision of Dr. Hassan Dehghanpour. Aadish grew up in India, Saudi Arabia and Qatar before attending the University of Kansas where he obtained a B.Sc. in Petroleum Engineering and completed the University Honors program. During his undergraduate program, he participated in several research projects and completed an internship with Schlumberger as a Well Stimulation Engineer in Wyoming. He also worked for Kansas Geological Survey as a Research Assistant on a CO2 sequestration project. Upon graduation, Aadish worked as a Production Enhancement Field Engineer providing fracturing and acidizing solutions in the Bakken, Montney, Duvernay and various other fields.

Aadish’s current research is to investigate the effects of hydraulic fracturing fluid retention on the rock and on subsequent hydrocarbon production, primarily in the ultra-low permeability rocks (shales) of Horn River basin in North-East BC. He is interested in field work and is passionate about tying petroleum geology with petroleum engineering studies, shale oil and gas production, and energy markets. For recreation, he enjoys river rafting, biking, camping and travelling.

Project: Mechanism of Shale Expansion and its Effects on Permeability From Interaction with Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid

It is widely recognized that large volumes of injected hydraulic fracturing fluid is lost to the formation. Imbibition by matrix and adsorption by super-dried clay system have been accounted as primary suspects for this water loss. Much research is needed to fully understand the underlying simultaneous mechanisms that occur during interaction between the virgin rock and injected water during hydraulic fracturing operations.

By means of laboratory experiments which simulate rock-water interaction, this research project specifically aims to quantify the hydrational stress which could be generated in the most commonly fractured formations of Horn River basin. An estimate of hydration stress will help validate whether previously observed permeability enhancements could in fact occur in subsurface conditions. The results of this study will provide technical knowledge to correlate rock swelling with the fracturing fluid physical properties and the mineralogy. Knowledge of such correlation will allow control over rock swelling by modulating fracturing fluid properties and/or shut in period.