Journal of Petroleum & Environmental Biotechnology

Enhanced recovery of shale gas with CO2 storage in gas-depleted shale

3^rd International Conference and Expo on Oil and Gas

July 13-14, 2017 Berlin, Germany

Jinsheng Wang

Canmet ENERGY, Natural Resources, Canada

Keynote: J Pet Environ Biotechnol

Abstract:

For shale gas development, low recovery factor and greenhouse gas emissions are two important issues. The average recovery factor for shale gas is around 10%, resulting in a large footprint with only a small portion of the resource recovered. Meanwhile, emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas could undermine the global efforts of reducing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Injection in shale gas fields of CO2 captured from industrial emitters such as fossil-fuel power plants could increase the recovery of shale gas and achieve CO2 storage in gas-depleted shale. This could obtain carbon credits and improve the economics for shale gas production. It may also turn gas-depleted shale into a sink of CO2 and contribute to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In shale gas field, methane exists as free gas in void space and as adsorbed gas on organic matter. Injected CO2 could push the free gas toward the production well and displace the adsorbed gas because CO2 has a higher tendency to be adsorbed compared to methane. As a result CO2 is trapped in gas-depleted shale to enable CO2 storage. CO2 could also drive out gas condensate that is trapped in the shale and impedes the gas flow. As part of our research on enhanced shale gas recovery with storage of CO2, we have carried out sorption experiments for CO2 and methane. The results with samples from a Canadian shale gas reservoir suggest that the shale could adsorb 10 times more CO2 than methane. That is to say, with every cubic meter of methane produced, 10 cubic meters of CO2 could be stored. We have also studied swelling of gas condensate by CO2, which could mobilize the trapped condensate and facilitate the gas flow. Other interesting findings will also be presented.

Biography :

Jinsheng Wang is a Research Scientist of CanmetENERGY, Natural Resources Canada. His research interest spans several areas, including unconventional oil and gas, greenhouse gas control, clean energy processes, oil processing, etc. He has obtained his BSc from Beijing Institute of Chemical Technology, China, MSc from Institute of Aeronautical Materials, China and PhD from Kyoto University, Japan. He has been working in Natural Resources Canada since 2000.

Email: jinsheng.wang@canada.ca