Geochemistry of Mud Gas Hydrocarbons and Flowback Waters for Assessment of Reservoir Characterization Techniques in the Montney Formation, Western Canada

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dc.contributor.advisorMayer, Bernhard
dc.contributor.authorMacDonald, Melissa
dc.contributor.committeememberMayer, Bernhard
dc.contributor.committeememberClarkson, Christopher
dc.contributor.committeememberCey, Edwin
dc.date2023-11
dc.date.accessioned2023-06-28T18:04:56Z
dc.date.available2023-06-28T18:04:56Z
dc.date.issued2023-06
dc.description.abstractThis thesis investigates the use of flowback water analysis and mud gas isotope logging techniques to understand the stable isotope characteristics of the Montney Formation, an unconventional reservoir in northwestern Alberta and northeastern British Columbia, Canada. To produce valuable hydrocarbons from the Montney Formation, multi-lateral, stacked horizontal wells are drilled into various zones in the formation and the rock is hydraulically fractured to release the hydrocarbons from the tight pores. Following well drilling and fracturing operators use various techniques to assess the reach of the fractures. Ideally, the fractures are concentrated in the zones of interest and do not extend to overlying or underlying zones. The aim of this research is to assess isotope analysis techniques that are used for reservoir and fracture assessment. Isotopic and chemical analysis of flowback water samples were used to focus on the processes that occur in the formation after fracturing fluid is introduced during completions. Conservative tracers, including hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios, and a mass balance mixing equation showed that the flowback water that was recovered from the Upper and Middle Montney zones was mostly formation water, while the Lower Montney evolved from fracturing fluid to formation water over the sampling period. The use of flowback water isotope analysis is useful to distinguish processes that control end- member water mixing in the Upper, Middle, and Lower zones of the Montney Formation and can be employed to assess the success of an induced fracturing program. IsoTube and IsoJar sampling systems are utilized to collect gas samples for isotope analysis as a well is drilled. The second section of the thesis assessed the sampling systems ability to preserve carbon isotope ratios samples that were collected as a horizontal well was drilled in the Montney Formation and as an adjacent vertical well was drilled through the Montney Formation. Produced gas samples from the Montney formation was used as a proxy for the expected results of the sampling systems. This research found that the IsoTube better preserves the carbon isotope signature of methane. The comparison of IsoJar and IsoTube samples over the depth of the vertical well highlights the relatively greater permeability in the Upper Montney zone. Neither the IsoJar or IsoTube sampling system preserved the gas composition for gas dryness and butane ratio assessment and are not recommended to be used for gas maturity analysis.
dc.identifier.citationMacDonald, M. (2023). Geochemistry of mud gas hydrocarbons and flowback waters for assessment of reservoir characterization techniques in the Montney Formation, western Canada (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1880/116678
dc.identifier.urihttps://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/41521
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisher.facultyGraduate Studies
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgary
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subjectGeochemistry
dc.subjectMontney Formation
dc.subjectFlowback water
dc.subjectMud gas
dc.subjectstable isotopes
dc.subject.classificationGeochemistry
dc.subject.classificationGeology
dc.titleGeochemistry of Mud Gas Hydrocarbons and Flowback Waters for Assessment of Reservoir Characterization Techniques in the Montney Formation, Western Canada
dc.typemaster thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineGeoscience
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (MSc)
ucalgary.thesis.accesssetbystudentI do not require a thesis withhold – my thesis will have open access and can be viewed and downloaded publicly as soon as possible.
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