International Meeting for Applied Geoscience & Energy (IMAGE)

SwRI will be exhibiting at the International Meeting for Applied Geoscience & Energy (IMAGE), booth no. 907.

Please join us for the following presentations:

Wednesday, Aug. 27

Morning, Poster Location 3 (3rd level)
“Fracturing in Basinal Siliciclastic Sedimentary Deposits of the Wolfcampian Alta Formation, Marfa Basin, West Texas,” Dr. David Ferrill

We present results of an integrated field investigation of deep-water siliciclastic strata in outcrops of the Wolfcampian Alta Formation in the Marfa Basin, including lithostratigraphy, fracture characterization, and mineralogical analyses. Results suggest that composition exerts a first-order control on opening-mode fracture abundance, and that bed thickness is likely a subordinate, or less important, controlling factor. These relationships can potentially be leveraged for mineralogy-based subsurface fracture prediction in comparable siliciclastic deposits, including the Wolfcamp Shale reservoir in the Permian Basin.

Afternoon, Poster Location 4 (3rd level)
“Mechanical Stratigraphy, Bedding-plane Slip, and Casing Deformation,” Dr. Kevin Smart

This study uses 3D geomechanical models to (i) investigate the conditions under which stress and pore pressure changes due to fluid injection during hydraulic stimulation are sufficient to induce bedding-plane slip, and (ii) analyze potential horizontal-well casing deformation in response to this slip. Results suggest that bedding-plane slip is a fundamental deformation response to hydraulic stimulation with slip often exceeding 10s of cm, and that this slip can result in casing deformation with ovality of >10%.

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SwRI, an independent, nonprofit R&D organization, provides structural geology and geomechanics solutions, including mechanical stratigraphy, fracture analysis, stress and geomechanical analyses, 2D/3D cross-section restoration, regional seismic structural characterization, drone-based photogrammetry and virtual outcrop analysis, joint industry projects, and training and field seminars.

For more information, contact Adam Cawood.