Characteristics and Responses of Fine Grained Rocks During Anhydrous Pyrolysis (RockEval6-TOC)

Kirk G. Osadetz and Zhuoheng Chen

Geological Survey of Canada: Calgary, Natural Resources Canada

Outline
1. Discussion of standard petroleum source rock anhydrous pyrolysis (RockEval6/TOC) response using a Bakken Fm example. 2. Characterization and challenges of shale gas reservoir RockEval6/TOC response using a Montney Fm example. 3. Quick look at shale oil potential using a Colorado Gp example. 4. Consider the broader shale oil opportunities in British Columbia.
Bakken Fm upper shale/middle mbr contact
SESW Sec. 13, T.23N.,R.56E. AHEL #1 H8 Nevins Richland County, MT

Key Points
SESW Sec. 13, T.23N.,R.56E. AHEL #1 H8 Nevins Richland County, MT

Anhydrous pyrolysis (RockEval 6/TOC) provides potentially useful information regarding: Petroleum and kerogen content and composition of shale reservoirs. Thermal maturity. Porosity and permeability. Reserves and resources. Reservoir energy (modeling) Play fairways. The material implications of RockEval6 parameters, especially volume, are important for the characterization and evolution of shale reservoirs. Bakken Fm upper shale/middle mbr contact

General Concepts and Models

There are both Biogenic (Antrim-like) and Thermogenic (Barnett-like) mechanisms for petroleum generation. Large standard condition volume changes attend petroleum generation. Physical and Chemical behaviour of crude oils (incompressible) and natural gas (compressible) differ. Refinery-like cracking paradigms result in progressive loss of labile H-rich petroleum components and the concentration of refractory carbon in residual kerogen and petroleum.

RockEval6/TOC of a Petroleum Source Rock (2WS Alberta)

RockEval6/TOC anhydrous pyrolysis results gives both key parameters and derived variables (S1, S2, S3, Tmax; TOC PI, HI, OI). Red Oven Temperature. 300oC for 3 minutes followed by a heating to 650oC over 14.5 minutes. Blue product evolution history for S1 and S2 peaks + Tmax yield of petroleum upon heating the rock. S3 peak, from the oxidation of the remaining refractory Organic Carbon, to contribute to Total Organic Carbon (TOC).

S1

Tmax

S2

RockEval6/TOC Standard Interpretation

Key measured parameters and derived variables (S1, S2, S3, TOC, Tmax; PI, HI, OI) directly indicative of oil staining, source rock richness, thermal maturity, transformation ratio, and organic matter type. Typically unimodal S-peaks. Clear well established interpretational limits (e.g. TOC > 0.3; S2 > 0.2; Tmax < 550oC Type II OM.) Results from low maturity examples provide kinetic petroleum generation models.

S1

Tmax

S2

Thermal Evolution of Petroleum Source Rocks Current Profile

An example from the DevonianMississippian Bakken Fm. Depositional and diagenetic oxidation of source rock kerogen to ~1.6 km current depth. Significant thermocatalytic transformation of kerogen (crude oil generation) at either 2.2 km or 3.0 km depending on thermo-tectonic history.

Residual oil saturation, , and K Bakken example

Most (85-90%) oil generated is expelled and migrated. Residual oil (RockEval S1 peak) occupies the effective (oil-wet). The S1 peak has a volume that occupies effective (~0.025 to <0.05). Inferred K was 10-2 to 10-3 nD, which matches observed excess pressure in the Antelope Field.

Kerogen Transformation To Crude Oil Bakken Example

Bakken Fm was deposited ~320 Ma. Significant petroleum generation began ~70 Ma. Schmoker and Hester (1983) estimated ~132 billion barrels of 43o oil was expelled from the source rock members. Kerogen kinetic models constrain petroleum system event diagrams.

Thermal Evolution of Reservoir Energy P History

A large volume change attending petroleum generation increases formation pressure. Bakken formation pressures reached ~80% of lithostatic (Pl), but did not commonly reach hydraulic fracturing thresholds (~85% Pl) in the absence of an additional tectonic stress. Natural fractures are rare in Bakken cores. We have found one subhorizontal filled fracture that proves rule.

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RockEval6/TOC Standard Interpretation - Reprise

Key measured parameters and derived variables (S1, S2, S3, TOC, Tmax; PI, HI, OI) directly indicative of oil staining, source rock richness, thermal maturity, transformation ratio, and organic matter type. Typically unimodal S-peaks. Clear well established interpretational limits (e.g. TOC > 0.3; S2 > 0.2; Tmax < 550oC Type II OM.) Results from low maturity examples provide kinetic petroleum generation models.

S1

Tmax

S2

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Montney Fm Shale Reservoir RockEval6/TOC Experiment

Note the reduced yield compared to a standard source rock. S1 peak A and PI = S1/(S1+S2) are high in the top of the Montney. S2 is very small with bimodal subpeaks B and C. Tmax depends on whether the B or C predominates. B and C lack systematic variations wrt depth but do appear to follow parasequences.

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Montney Fm Shale Reservoir Thermal Maturity

The C pseudoTmax value provides a agrees well with observed thermal maturity from vitrinite reflectance.

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Montney Fm Shale Reservoir- Bimodal S2 Peak

In the Barnett S2 peak B pseudoTmax is predominant near the top of the formation, but C predominates lower in the section. This is wrongly interpreted to indicate an anomalous thermal maturity gradients in the Barnett play.

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Montney Fm Shale Reservoir- Bimodal S2 Sub-Peak B

In the Montney S2 B peak is large and Tmax is commonly low near the top of the reservoir, but there is no simple relationship among B, C, Tmax and depth. Interpretation depends on what S2 peak B is. Possibilities: Part of S1 that is late due to low permeability. A refractory migrabitumen. Contamination. Something else?

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Montney Fm Shale Reservoir- Bimodal S2 SubPeak B

Possibilities: Part of S1 that is late due to low permeability. Prolonging the S1 heating doesnt eliminate B. A refractory migrabitumen. Occurrence doesnt suggest bouyant segregation. Odd kinetic parameters. Contamination. Clearly the case for some oilbased muds. Also appears with water-based mud. Not entirely removed by solvent extraction not a surface phenomena of samples.

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Montney Fm Shale Reservoir- Bimodal S2 SubPeak B

Why it is important: If it is part of S1 Peak. Overestimating free for gas storage. If it is a refractory migrabitumen. What does it mean about the evolution of gas shale reservoirs versus ordinary source rocks? If it is contamination. It affects rock-log calibrations. Is it still indicating something about the reservoir?

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Shale Oil - Colorado Gp. Total Petroleum System

Allen and Creaney (Imperial Oil Study published BCPG, 1991) identified compositionally similar crude oils within the Creataceous Colorado Gp. Shale. These oils are easily distinguished by their source rock age specific biomarkers (C28/C29 regular steranes > 1.0: Grantham and Wakefield, 1988). They suggested that the interval between the basal Joli Fou Fm and 1WS shales was hydrodynamically isolated.

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Colorado Gp. Accumulations in Coarse Clastic Formations

Five different sandstone formations containing Colorado Group sourced oils. Total of 1095 discovered pools containing an OOIP of ~2.3 Billion m3, more than half of which occurs in a Cardium Fm. We infer that there are an additional ~601 Million m3 prospective resource in ~18,000 undiscovered pools

Oil resources in Colorado Group Coarse Clastics x10^6 m^3 Play/Interval # of pools disc. Reserve in place Total (UER in place) Viking 344 292.2 399.8 Cardium 379 1547.7 1976.2 White Specks 100 36.04 42.18 Duvengan 101 106.6 128.4 Belly River 171 323.3 360.1 Totals 1095 2305.84 2906.68
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Pool Pressure and of 2Ws Discovered Accumulations

Less porous pools, < 0.02, have a dispersed pressure dataset. The data is probably just bad due to insufficient shut-in time to get a good pool pressure. It indicates that low K pools are already being commercially completed and produced, but they are just not recognized as different from the more porous pools. Might serve as a quick screen for technological pilot selection.
0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25

Porosity

10 12 Pressure gradient

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Colorado Group Generated Crude Oil Volumes

2WS has an eastern OM Type II-III and a western OM Type I-II facies. Lots of variability in OM Type probably due to microbial process (biogenic gas generation).
800

600

2WS = 2.6 X1011 m3 crude oil generated Colorado Gp. sources OOIP = 3.5 X1011 m3 Crude oil generated

HI (mg/gm TOC)

400

200

0 390 400 410 420 430 440 450 460 470 480

Tmax (oC)

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Colorado Gp. 2nd WS OOIP Map from S1 Peak

x 10 6.2
6

OIl in place, 2nd White Specks shale

2WS OOIP from S1 Peak (80 km search radius). High S1 inferred proxy for high . Good correlation to the distribution of discovered pools (white). Areas in the Platform of comparable S1 values are not typically completed.

6 6.1

5.9

5 44 58 6 33 9 23 3 5 9 12 5 3 44 3 33 23 3 3

6 4 6 59 5 5 4 8 1

5.8

8 4 5 4 346 43 24 55 6 27 45 8 6 4 811 3 44 4 1 3 54 6 46 4 1 7 34 6 7 32 3 485 544 3 2 2 13

5.7

2WS OOIP = 7.3 X1010 m3 Colorado Gp. sources OOIP = 2.6 X1011 m3
0 1 2

5.6

2
12 12

5.5

8 5

1 4 5 x 10
5

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Colorado Gp. Total Petroleum Resource

The oil volume in the shale reservoirs can be inferred and classified based on the S1 value. When added to the non-shale reservoirs it dominates the resource, but much of it is probably currently technologically and economically inaccessible.
In place oil volume
x 10
10

Colorado total petroleum system play 2ndWS Cardium Viking Belly R. 2ws Unconventional

x 10
In place oil volume

Second White Specks 2ndWS discovered S1-inferred

10

0 0.03 0.06 0.05 0.04 Oil concentration 0.07

0 Undiscovered 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 Oil concentration 17.6 X1010 m3 in rocks <0.02 (currently inaccessible). 680 X106 m3 in rocks 0.03 < < 0.04 (potentially and probably accessible). 8 X106 m3 in rocks 0.05 < < 0.06 (accessible).

0.25

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Colorado Group Shale Oil Potential Resources

Colorado Gp. sources generated ~3.5 X1011 m3 of which ~95% was expelled. Commercial plays contain 2.3 billion m3 in 1095 pools, and these are inferred to also have potential for an additional 601 million cubic metres. There are 8 X106 m3 in rocks 0.05 < < 0.06 which are possibly commercial. There are 680 X106 m3 in rocks 0.03 < < 0.04 that are probably accessible and may be commercial. There are 17.6 X1010 m3 in rocks <0.02 that are currently neither accessible nor commercial, but which could be the target of technological development. S1 peak data identifies exploratory leads and pool pressure data might identify early targets for technology development and application.

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Shale Oil Potential In British Columbia

Colorado Gp below Lewis Thrust sheet in S.E. B.C. has numerous seepages and shows on DST. Numerous indications for multiple potential horizons throughout the deep Interior Platform, Foothills and Front Range, especially in Fairholme to Alberta Group succession of the Fernie Basin and elsewhere. Ordovician and Silurian successions contain cherts have a good pedigree and they bleed oil during paleomagnetic sampling and analysis. Immense volumes of fine grained shales with good TOC and favourable RockEval6/TOC parameters with potential throughout the Intermontane Belt (Bowser and Nechako Basins, Whitehorse Trough, etc.) Crude oil and natural gas probably persist to higher temperatures than refinery cracking models suggest in clastic rocks.

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Conclusions
Anhydrous pyrolysis (RockEval 6/TOC) provides potentially useful information regarding shale reservoirs. The details of RockEval6 experiments should be considered instead of the common source rock S(x) parameters. The material characteristics of RockEval6 parameters are important volume-porosity-permeability indicators. Partition of natural gas among, free (intrinsic pore space) gas; solution gas; and adsorbed gas is not yet easily calibrated. RockEval 6/TOC, S1/TOC constrains potential resources, and outlines shale oil play fairways.

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