Replies to post #3046 on The Rising Influence of Rising Affluence

[moneyman1010]

Thanks Charlie, good read

[flatlander_60048]

Charlie

Sorry I missed the tone of your earlier post. I've just been getting the impression that I lot of uninformed investors want to plow into any shale gas or oil play. Like anything, it needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

You are correct that vertical joints and fractures are common in bedrock. However, as indicated below: initial hydraulic fracturing is generally along bedding planes due to anisotropies which exist within the shale. However, as presented further in the article vertical fractures formed along the least principal stress axis were a major contributor to production for ER.

What I was stressing was my belief that most of the problems attributed to fraccing are likely the result of either operator error (too high pressures) or inadequate characterization, or both. I believe that the vast majority of the fraccing operations are conducted in a safe manner.


What is your feeling about the longevity of some of the shale gas plays now being touted.

Regards FL

http://www.aogr.com/index.php/magazine/cover_story_archives/may_2008_cover_story/
J1 Joints

"Initial hydraulic fracturing was restricted to the Marcellus and other black shale source rocks of the Appalachian Basin. Early cracking was in the plane of bedding, largely because the microscopic strength anisotropy generated by early compaction favored horizontal microcracks. Fluid within this suite of microcracks eventually collected to drive mesoscopic scale joints that were separated by as little as 30-50 centimeters. At this point, the orientation of these joints was controlled by the earth’s stress field, principally the least compressive stress."