In 2009 Petroleum Development Oman LLC (PDO) started an ambitious tight and deep gas exploration programme exploring for previously untapped reservoirs. The exploration strategy is focusing on both conventional tight gas plays as well as deep unconventional gas resources. These resources are typically in previously undrilled formations at great depths, with high temperatures and unknown pressure regimes, and uncertain fluid fill and composition. The unique geological properties of this type of reservoir require different strategies and technology deployment in order to make them viable and sustainable.

With unique geomechanical, reservoir, and geological properties, some of the large gas-bearing prospects within the Fahud Basin in the Sultanate of Oman require innovative drilling and completion practices. A revised drilling and completion workflow, with specific technology deployment and operational flexibility, has been developed in order to account for such reservoir complexity. This workflow includes the incorporation of rock strength acquisition and stress state of the reservoir prior to completion, in order to identify targets for hydraulic fracturing and quantify hydraulic fracturing performance versus reservoir deliverability. The unparalled challenges encountered whilst exploring for these resources required resolving to new technologies from outside the region and adapting them to local conditions.

This paper demonstrates the need of integrating various unconventional data sources to enhance the chance of successful reservoir characterization that leads to better understanding of presence of hydrocarbons and reservoir quality. It will also show that classical evaluation methods fail and will not lead to unambiguous interpretations. Recent experience has shown that several independent data sources need to be applied to confidently evaluate well results.

The successful application of a technology plan covering aspects of geomechanics, well completions, perforation and formation breakdown, hydraulic fracture placement and treatment yielded positive results that will be of interest to other regional operators facing similar challenges.