Reservoir Geomechanics
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We are carrying out a series of studies, usually in close collaboration with the oil and gas industry, on problems in oil and gas reservoirs, potential CO2 repositories and geothermal reservoirs. The emphasis of this research has recently been shale gas, tight gas, and tight oil reservoirs.
Professor Zoback teaches a class on Reservoir Geomechanics, which is offered every other year in Spring quarter at Stanford, and is also offered yearly as a free online class open to anyone.
Related Publications
- State of stress in areas of induced seismicity across North America. (2020). American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, paper MR019-0001. https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm20/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/729942
- A viscoplastic model of creep in shale. (2020). Society of Exploration Geophysicists. https://doi.org/10.1190/geo2018-0700.1
- Stress orientation and relative stress magnitudes throughout the North American plate. (2020). Geological Society of America. https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2020AM/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/353108
- Zoback, M., Singh, A., & Xu, S. (2019). Integrated Analysis of the Coupling Between Geomechanics and Operational Parameters to Optimize Hydraulic Fracture Propagation and Proppant Distribution. Society of Petroleum Engineers.
- Injection-induced seismicity and fault-slip potential in the Fort Worth Basin, Texas. (2019). https://doi.org/10.1785/0120190017
- Variation of the least principal stress with depth and its effect on vertical hydraulic fracture propagation during multi-stage hydraulic fracturing. (2019). American Rock Mechanics Association.
- Microseismic evidence for horizontal hydraulic fractures in the Marcellus Shale, southeastern West Virginia. (2018). The Leading Edge, 37(5), 356-361.
- Frictional properties of shale reservoir rocks. (2013). J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgrb.50346
- The Evolution of Stimulated Reservoir Volume during Hydraulic Stimulation of Shale Gas Formations. (2013). Unconventional Resources Technology Conference (URTeC).
- A method to implement permeability anisotropy associated with fault damage zones in reservoir simulation, SPE Reservoir Evaluation and Engineering. (2011). SPE Reservoir Evaluation and Engineering.
- Hydraulic fracturing, microseismic magnitudes and stress evolution in the Barnett Shale. (2011). SPE Hydraulic Fracturing Technology Conference and Exhibition, held in The Woodlands, Texas.
- Addressing the environmental risks from shale gas development. (2010). http://www.worldwatch.org/system/files/BP1.pdf
- Oscillation of fluid-filled cracks triggered by degassing of CO2 due to leakage along wellbores. (2010). https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JB000848
- CO2 storage and enhanced coalbed methane recovery in unmineable coalbeds of the Powder River Basin, Wyoming: Reservoir characterization and fluid flow simulaltions. (2009). https://doi.org/10.1016/j_ijggc.2009.06.002
- Assessing economic feasibility or regional deep saline aquifer CO2 injection and sequestration: A geomechanics-based workflow applied to the Rose Run Sandstone in Eastern Ohio. (2008). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2007.12.002
- Ross, H., & Zoback, M. (2008). Sub-hydrostatic pore pressure in coalbed and sand aquifers of the Powder River Basin, WY and MT, and implications for disposal of coalbed-methane -produced water through injection. Rocky Mountain Geology, 43, 155-169. http://pangea.stanford.edu/departments/geophysics/dropbox/STRESS/publications/MDZ%20PDF’s/2008/2008_Sub_hysdrostatic_pore_pressure.pdf
- Zoback, M. (2007). Earth Stress and Rock Mechanics Applied to Exploration, Production and Wellbore Stability. Cambridge Press, Cambridge Press, 449. https://www.cambridge.org/asia/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521146197
- Colmenares, L. ., & Zoback, M. (2007). Hydraulic fracturing and wellbore completion of coalbed methane (CBM) wells in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming: Implications for water and gas production. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, 91, 51-67. https://pangea.stanford.edu/departments/geophysics/dropbox/STRESS/publications/MDZ%20PDF’s/2007/Hydraulic_fracturing_wellbore_ColmenaresZoback0107.pdf
- Chiaramonte, L., Zoback, M., Friedmann, J., & Stamp, V. (2007). Seal integrity and feasibility of CO2 sequestration in the Teapot Dome EOR pilot: geomechanical site characterization. Environmental Geology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-0948-7
- Mallman, E., & Zoback, M. (2007). Subsidence in the Louisiana coastal zone due to hydrocarbon production. Journal of Coastal Research. http://pangea.stanford.edu/departments/geophysics/dropbox/STRESS/publications/MDZ%20PDF’s/2007/2007_Subsidence_in_the_Louisiana_coastal_zone.pdf
- Chan, A., & Zoback, M. (2007). The Role of Hydrocarbon Production on Land Subsidence and Fault Reactivation in the Louisiana Coastal Zone. Journal of Coastal Research. https://doi.org/10.2112/05-0553,771-786
- Lucier, A., Zoback, M., Gupta, N., & Ramakrishnan, T. (2006). Geomechanical aspects of CO2 sequestration in a deep saline reservoir in the Ohio River Valley region. Environmental Geology, 13(2), 85-103. http://pangea.stanford.edu/departments/geophysics/dropbox/STRESS/publications/MDZ%20PDF’s/2006/Lucier_et_al_2006_Env_Geoscience.pdf