A Review on Shale Gas Development in Fuling

Abstract

The Fuling Marine Shale Deposit contains vast gas resources. Due to tectonic activities, complex surface and geological conditions, significant differences make it unlike that of North America. Thus, it is not suitable to completely copy the technology and the development model from North America. Therefore we need engineering technology and a business development model fit for Fuling Shale Gas Development (FSGD). Through difficulties and characteristics analysis of the shale gas development area, we determined geological engineering design methods and integrated workflow, established a series of the core technologies, including horizontal well drilling with long laterals, staged fracturing and completion technology, developed main fluids, tools and equipment, put forward “well factory” mode in mountain region and “full cycle learning and system optimization” management methods. Break through was made in China’s first large-scale shale gas fields commercial development. By the end of 2014, production capacity reached 25 × 10⁸ m³/a, and cumulative gas production reached 12.24 × 10⁸ m³, which made a solid foundation to build production capacity of 50 × 10⁸ m³/a in 2015 and 100 × 10⁸ m³/a in 2017. Not only has FSGD established a demonstration for the other shale gas fields’ development, but also will be taken as reference to other large and extra-large construction projects of the industry.

Keywords

Fuling / shale gas / drilling and completion / staged fracturing / learning curve / capacity building / commercial development

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2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg