Apr 2023
The development of human society is inseparable from the supply of energy, and it is reported that the world's energy consumption will increase by nearly 50% by 2040. However, the faster depleting conventional resources and with the objective to reduce the CO2 emissions, we need to shift towards low or no carbon fuels without compromising in energy security.
Natural gas from the unconventional hydrocarbon resources like shale gas, coalbed methane and gas hydrates reservoir is becoming the most trustworthy low carbon fuel, in addition to hydrogen and other no-carbon energy resources to achieve the net-zero goal. Shale, the most abundant sedimentary rock contains huge volume of indigenous oil/gas, which was thought to be unproducible and uneconomic earlier becomes attractive because of abundant quantity and advancement in hydraulic fracturing technology. It becomes the most attractive unconventional resource, especially after the success of USA shale gas projects.
However, the success rate of Shale plays outside USA is poor mainly because of the low gas reserve per unit acre-ft, difficulty in production from ultra-low permeability rock (micro Darcy level), need of massive fracturing, inadequate characterization, etc. Eyes are on the Jafurah Gas Field of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is considered as the largest liquid-rich shale gas play in the Middle East with an estimated 200 trillion standard cubic feet (TCF) of natural gas and condensate.
Considering the above facts, the seminar aims to elucidate the details about the shale characterization for identifying the prospective sweet spots for shale gas reservoir. Geochemical, geological, petrophysical and mineralogical characterization will be discussed along with the frackability of the rock and gas/oil entrapment characteristics of shale. Various screening criteria will be discussed for assessing reserve & reservoir for field development. Environmental concern over shale gas/oil production also will be touched in the lecture.
Dr. Keka Ojha, Head & Professor of the Department of Petroleum Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad has about 20 years of research, and teaching experience in India and overseas. As the recognition of her work, she is the conferred “SPE Distinguished Achievement Award for Petroleum Engineering Faculty, for South Asia and the Pacific Region, 2019”.
Prof. Ojha, a graduate in Chemical Engineering (Hons.) from Jadavpur University, India has received her Masters and Doctoral degree from Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India in Chemical Engineering. Before joining IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, she has worked as Research Associate in University of Notre Dame, USA and Lecturer in Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata respectively. She is currently involved in the R &D in the fields of Reservoir Engineering, EOR Techniques, hydraulic fracturing and unconventional resources sponsored by various E& P Industries in India like ONGC, OIL, EOGEPL, JTI, OilMax, DST, CSIR, UGC, MoC, OIDB etc.
Dr. Ojha has published more than 150 papers including 85 in peer reviewed national/international journals and others in conferences. She is selected as the member of editorial board of several international Journals of Petroleum Engineering.
Besides teaching and research, she also serves the Institute in different administrative positions like Head of Deptt-Petroleum Engineering, Associate Dean (Academic), Chief Hostel Warden, Chairperson-Internal Complaint Committee, Member-Senate etc. She is also the member of two committees in Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG), India.