Poromechanical characterization of a tight-sandstone formation

TERESA MARÍA PIQUÉ; NICOLAS ESPINOZA; EMILIO CAMILION; EMILIO WINOGRAD

Golden

Simposio; 54th US Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium; 2020

American Rock Mechanics Association

The gas production in Argentina is rapidly changing from conventional fields to tight sands and shale reservoirs, such as Lajas and Vaca Muerta formations in the Neuquén basin, which require hydraulic stimulation. Therefore, a well-established geomechanical model becomes essential for an accurate development of these unconventional fields. Poromechanical properties are key for assessing the fluid influence on the effective stress magnitudes. This work focuses on the poromechanical characterization of a low-permeability tight gas reservoir from Argentina. A set of experiments were performed to measure the main poromechanical parameters, including the Biot coefficient, bulk rock stiffness (static and dynamic) and permeability. Overall, the use of the measured poromechanical parameters (including Biot coefficient different than unity) suggests a more robust reservoir geomechanical characterization.