GP208: Unconventional Reservoir Geomechanics

Spring 2019 (April 1 – June 3)

Instructors – Mark Zoback and Arjun Kohli

TA –Talal Al Shafoot
Course email – gp208online@gmail.com

This course was filmed in early 2019 and is being made available as a free Massive Open Online
Course (MOOC) for the first time in Spring quarter 2019.

Two lectures are released each week. Participants are free to watch the lectures at their
convenience. Those who correctly complete 70% of the 6 homework assignments will receive a
statement of accomplishment. The homework assignments are due on the day indicated at 08:00
AM UTC or 12:00 AM PST. There is a grace period allowing assignments to be handed in 24
hours after the due date.

Because thousands will participate in the course, it is not feasible for us to answer questions or
handle individual requests by email. We will try to address the most common and pressing issues
through an online forum. In past courses, we have been encouraged by how participants help each
other in the forum. We urge you to both ask questions and contribute to the discussions.

The course follows the textbook Unconventional Reservoir Geomechanics by Professor Mark
Zoback and Arjun Kohli, published by Cambridge University Press. It will be available in April
2019 from Cambridge University Press:
https://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/earth-and-environmental-science/applied-
geoscience-petroleum-and-mining-geoscience/unconventional-reservoir-geomechanics-shale-
gas-tight-oil-and-induced-seismicity?format=HB

Cambridge University Press is offering a 20% discount to participants in this course. The discount
code is ZOBACKMOOC

or Amazon (Print or Kindle):

https://www.amazon.com/Unconventional-Reservoir-Geomechanics-Induced-
Seismicity/dp/1107087074/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550444180&sr=8-
1&keywords=Zoback+and+Kohli
Course Schedule

4/1 Week 1
- Unit 1: Course Overview
- Unit 2: Unconventional Reservoirs

4/8 Week 2
- Unit 3: Stress, Fractures and Faults I
- Unit 4: Horizontal Drilling and Hydraulic Fracturing
- Homework 1 Assigned

4/15 Week 3
- Unit 5: Composition, Fabric, Elastic Properties and Anisotropy
- Unit 6: Rock Strength and Ductility
- Homework 1 Due
- Homework 2 Assigned

4/22 Week 4
- Unit 7: Ductility and Stress Magnitudes
- Unit 8: Frictional Properties
- Homework 2 Due
- Homework 3 Assigned

4/29 Week 5
- Unit 9: Pore Networks and Pore Fluids
- Unit 10: Flow and Sorption
- Homework 3 Due
- Homework 4 Assigned

5/6 Week 6
- Unit 11: Stress, Fractures and Faults II
- Unit 12: Reservoir Seismology
- Homework 4 Due
- Homework 5 Assigned

5/13 Week 7
 - Unit 13: Shear Stimulation and Depletion
- Unit 14: Geomechanics and Stimulation Optimization I
- Homework 5 Due
- Homework 6 Assigned

5/20 Week 8
- Unit 15: Geomechanics and Stimulation Optimization II
- Unit 16: Production and Depletion I
- Homework 6 Due

5/27 Week 9
- Unit 17: Production and Depletion II
- Unit 18: Environmental Impacts and Induced Seismicity

6/3 Week 10
- Unit 19: Managing Induced Seismicity
Homework
HW1 – State of Stress in Unconventional Reservoirs

HW2 – Composition and Elastic Properties

HW3 – Ductility, Friction and Stress Magnitudes

HW4 – Flow and Sorption

HW5 – Stress, Faults and Seismology

HW6 – Shear Stimulation of Faults

Grading
Grading will automated through the Stanford Online platform. Participants receiving ≥70% of the
points will receive a Statement of Accomplishment at the end of the course.

Textbook
Zoback, M.D., and Kohli, A.H. (2019). Unconventional Reservoir Geomechanics: Shale Gas,
Tight Oil and Induced Seismicity, Cambridge University Press.

Cambridge University Press

https://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/earth-and-environmental-science/applied-
geoscience-petroleum-and-mining-geoscience/unconventional-reservoir-geomechanics-shale-
gas-tight-oil-and-induced-seismicity?format=HB

Amazon / Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Unconventional-Reservoir-Geomechanics-Induced-
Seismicity/dp/1107087074/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550444180&sr=8-
1&keywords=Zoback+and+Kohli