Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2019

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Department

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Committee Chair

Hema Siriwardane

Committee Co-Chair

John Quaranta

Committee Member

John Quaranta

Committee Member

Radhey Sharma

Committee Member

Udaya Halabe

Committee Member

H. Ilkin Bilgesu

Abstract

A hydraulic fracturing site in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA was selected to be a research site for the Marcellus Shale Energy and Environment Laboratory (MSEEL) project which was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The overall objective of the MSEEL research project is to evaluate and improve technologies to enhance shale gas recovery with minimal impacts on the environment. The field site has two previously drilled wells and two newly drilled wells for extracting natural gas. A separate exploratory well (or “science well”) was also drilled and includes a geophone array to extract important seismic/microseismic event information, which can then be used to help determine hydraulic fracture geometries.

The main objective of the current research work was to perform numerical modeling of all hydraulic fracturing operations at both of these newly drilled wells at the MSEEL site and perform model calibration based on a statistical methodology and available microseismic data. Available geologic, geomechanical, and treatment data was utilized to build the numerical model for all stages at both of these wells and comparisons were made with available microseismic data. There are 28 hydraulic fracture stages at one well and 30 stages at a second well. These 58 stages were individually numerically modeled and a statistical methodology and available microseismic data was utilized to calibrate the model. Results show a good match between estimates/measurements and model calculations of height, length, and surface pressure.

Embargo Reason

Publication Pending

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