Petroleum GeoscienceUnconventional Resources: Shale, Tight Gas and Coal Bed Methane
Shale and tight gas wells do not produce because a trap holds a column of hydrocarbons; they produce because the rock itself has been stimulated and contacted over long horizontal sections. Delegates start with source rock reservoirs: total organic carbon, maturity, mineralogy, brittleness and the controls on gas and liquids windows. Tight sandstones and coal bed methane follow, including adsorption isotherms, cleat systems and dewatering. Petrophysical and geomechanical evaluation of ultra low permeability rock, sweet spot mapping and landing zone selection are covered next. The programme ends on development concepts, water and environmental considerations, and the outlook for unconventional gas in southern Africa, including the Karoo and coal bed methane prospects in Botswana and Zimbabwe. Delegates leave able to screen and rank unconventional opportunities.
Course objectives
- Evaluate shale reservoirs using organic content, maturity, mineralogy and brittleness
- Explain storage and flow mechanisms in shale, tight sand and coal
- Interpret adsorption isotherms and gas content data for coal bed methane
- Characterise ultra low permeability rock with logs, core and geomechanics
- Map sweet spots and select horizontal landing zones
- Compare development concepts for shale, tight gas and coal bed methane
- Assess water management and environmental considerations
- Screen unconventional opportunities in southern African basins
Who should attend
- Geologists and petrophysicists evaluating unconventional plays
- Reservoir engineers new to unconventional resources
- Coal bed methane project staff
- Regulators and policy officers responsible for gas development
- Business development managers screening resource opportunities
Course outline
- 01What makes a resource unconventional
- 02Shale as source and reservoir
- 03Tight gas sandstones
- 04Coal bed methane
- 05Petrophysics of ultra low permeability rock
- 06Geomechanics and brittleness
- 07Sweet spots and landing zones
- 08Development concepts and well performance
- 09Water, environment and the African outlook
Scheduled sessions
| Dates | Venue | Format | Price | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 to 13 November 2026 | Maseru, Lesotho | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | |
| 16 to 20 November 2026 | Durban, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | |
| 30 November to 4 December 2026 | Cape Town, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | |
| 11 to 15 January 2027 | Lusaka, Zambia | Classroom | USD 1,325 per delegate | |
| 18 to 22 January 2027 | Online | Online | R8,500 per delegate |
Unconventional Resources: Shale, Tight Gas and Coal Bed Methane
From R8,500