Pore Pressure Modeling

Regional hydrogeologic modeling of injection

CISR has developed several regional numerical flow models whose purpose is to estimate pore pressure changes due to produced water disposal. The first completed flow model addressed the historical beginning of large-scale unconventional production through hydraulic fracturing in the Fort Worth Basin (Gao et al., 2021). It was quickly followed by other flow models developed in the Permian Basin, the next direction of choice for the industry. The flow models encompass the target zones chosen by industry to dispose of produced water. The favorable flow units include thick intervals located above and below the main production intervals of the lower Permian and other underlying low permeability formations. Each of the sub-basins: the Delaware Basin and the Midland Basin contains “deep” and “shallow” models. The shallow Delaware flow model was the second model to be developed (Ge et al., 2022) and targets the mostly clastic DMG. The third model, the northern Delaware Basin deep model, focuses on the mostly carbonate formations of Ordovician (Ellenburger) and Silurian-Devonian age (Smye et al., 2024). The fourth model, the deep Midland model, includes Pennsylvanian, Silurian-Devonian, and Ordovician injection intervals (Ge et al., 2024). As of December 2024, two additional models, the shallow Midland and a new shallow Delaware model to understand injection capacity, are being developed.  

Key contact: JP Nicot (jp.nicot@beg.utexas.edu)