Energy Researchers Receive Major Grant
Energy researchers at the Kansas Geological Survey, based
at the University of Kansas, have received a $754,000 grant over
three years from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The funding will be used to develop computer models of the
rock formations that produce petroleum, and to distribute that
software over the internet.
Survey geologists, engineers, and computer specialists will
develop new software that can be used to better estimate the
amount of oil and natural gas remaining in petroleum reservoirs.
Those software packages will then be made available electronically,
along with other currently existing software, at no charge.
"Small, independent oil companies, like those who do
most of the exploration and production in Kansas, will be able
to use these packages," said Survey geologist Lynn Watney,
leader of the project.
"The software will help companies characterize the reservoirs
that hold oil, and help them come up with the best strategies
for producing additional oil and gas." The Survey will also
provide tutorial support to help companies and consultants use
the site and apply the software.
The project is being conducted in conjunction with five private
companies that will help test and evaluate the software. Those
companies include Mull Drilling Co., Wichita; Murfin Drilling
Co., Wichita; Phillips Petroleum Corp., Bartlesville, Oklahoma;
Pioneer Natural Resources Co., Irving, Texas; and Vastar Resources,
Inc., Houston, Texas.
Watney said that the work is based on previous Survey efforts
in making petroleum data available electronically. With funding
from the Department of Energy (DOE), the Survey has developed
a Digital Petroleum Atlas (http://www.kgs.ku.edu /DPA/dpaHome.html),
an ongoing effort at providing oil and gas information over the
internet. Through prior support from DOE, the Kansas Technology
Enterprise Corp., and the petroleum industry, the Survey has
also developed relatively inexpensive software (http://www.kgs.ku.edu/PRS/software/pfeffer1.html)
that is used in the petroleum industry to evaluate rock formations
encountered in individual wells and the ability of those rocks
to produce oil and natural gas.
"This new project will help companies gain access to
electronic information related to oil and gas that is available
today, and will become available in the future," said Watney.
"The goal of this project is to keep Kansas competitive
in the global petroleum market and to help sustain our petroleum
production."
The new project is called GEMINI (Geo-engineering Modeling
through Internet Informatics) and early versions of the website
are expected to be on-line in the coming year.
"Kansas is a mature oil and gas producing area, one where
large amounts of information are already available," said
Survey director Lee Allison. "Access to public domain data
and analytical tools--through projects like this--may be the
best practical way of aiding geologic and engineering analyses
in the state." |
