Methods and systems of modeling hydrocarbon flow from layered shale formations

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

simulating, by a computer system, movement of hydrocarbons through a micro-scale model of a kerogen-rich layer of a layered shale formation;

determining, by the computer system, a permeability of the kerogen-rich layer of the layered shale formation based on the simulation through the micro-scale model;

determining, by the computer system, a permeability of a kerogen-poor layer of the layered shale formation based on a well log obtained for the layered shale formation;

adjusting, by the computer system, parameters of a macro-scale model for use with the layered shale formation, based on the respective permeabilities of the kerogen-rich and kerogen-poor layers of the layered shale formation; and

predicting hydrocarbon production for drilling a wellbore within the layered shale formation, based on the adjusted parameters of the macro-scale model.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the micro-scale model represents a kerogen-related porosity and a water-wet porosity of the kerogen-rich layer of the layered shale formation;

simulating movement of hydrocarbons further comprises simulating movement of hydrocarbons through the kerogen-related porosity and the water-wet porosity of the kerogen-rich layer as represented by the micro-scale model; and

determining the permeability of the kerogen-rich layer further comprises determining the permeability of the kerogen-rich layer based on the simulation through the kerogen-related porosity and the water-wet porosity.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the kerogen-rich layer is one of a plurality of kerogen-rich layers represented by the micro-scale model for the layered shale formation;

simulating movement of hydrocarbons further comprises estimating the kerogen-related porosity for each of the plurality of kerogen-rich layers, based on a corresponding vitrinite reflectivity of that kerogen-rich layer, and simulating movement of hydrocarbons through the estimated kerogen-related porosity and the water-wet porosity of each of the plurality of kerogen-rich layers represented by the micro-scale model;

determining the permeability of the kerogen-rich layer further comprises determining the permeability for each of the plurality of kerogen-rich layers of the layered shale formation based on the simulation; and

the parameters of the macro-scale model are adjusted based on the permeability of the kerogen-poor layer and the permeability determined for each of the plurality of kerogen-rich layers of the layered shale formation.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameters of the macro-scale model are adjusted so as to model hydrocarbon transport in the kerogen-rich layer and the kerogen-poor layer of the layered shale formation.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the hydrocarbon transport in the kerogen-rich layer is modeled using a first transport mechanism, and the hydrocarbon transport in the kerogen-poor layer is modeled using a second transport mechanism that is different from the first transport mechanism.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first transport mechanism is a statistical mechanics flow regime based on non-Darcy or Knudsen flow, and the second transport mechanism is a continuum mechanics flow regime based on Darcy flow.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the hydrocarbon transport in both the kerogen-rich layer and the kerogen-poor layer of the layered shale formation are modeled using a continuum mechanics flow regime based on Darcy flow.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

planning, by the computer system, a path of the wellbore through the layered shale formation, based on the predicted hydrocarbon production.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein prior to adjusting the parameters, the macro-scale model was used to predict hydrocarbon production from non-shale formations.

10. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a display device coupled to the processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing a program that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:

simulate hydrocarbon movement through a micro-scale model of a kerogen-rich layer of a layered shale formation;

determine a permeability for the kerogen-rich layer of the layered shale formation, based on the simulation through the micro-scale model;

determine a permeability for a kerogen-poor layer of the layered shale formation based on a well log obtained for the layered shale formation;

adjust parameters of a macro-scale model for use with the layered shale formation, based on the respective permeabilities of the kerogen-rich and kerogen-poor layers of the layered shale formation;

predict hydrocarbon production for drilling a wellbore within the layered shale formation based on the adjusted parameters of the macro-scale model; and

display on the display device an indication of the predicted hydrocarbon production from the layered shale formation.

11. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the micro-scale model represents a kerogen-related porosity of the kerogen-rich layer of the layered shale formation, and the program further causes the processor to:

simulate hydrocarbon movement through the kerogen-related porosity represented by the micro-scale model; and

determine the permeability of the kerogen-rich layer based on the simulation.

12. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the micro-scale model further represents a water-wet porosity of the kerogen-rich layer of the layered shale formation, and when the processor simulates, the program further causes the processor to:

simulate hydrocarbon movement through the kerogen-related porosity and the water-wet porosity of the kerogen-rich layer as represented by the micro-scale model; and

determine the permeability based on the simulated hydrocarbon movement through the kerogen-related porosity and the water-wet porosity.

13. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the kerogen-rich layer is one of a plurality of kerogen-rich layers represented by the micro-scale model for the layered shale formation, and when the processor simulates, the program further causes the processor to:

simulate hydrocarbon movement through the kerogen-related porosity and the water-wet porosity of each of the plurality of kerogen-rich layers of the layered shale formation, based on the micro-scale model;

determine the permeability for each of the plurality of kerogen-rich layers of the layered shale formation based on the simulated hydrocarbon movement through the kerogen-related porosity and the water-wet porosity of each kerogen-rich layer; and

adjust the parameters of the macro-scale model, based on the first permeability determined for each of the plurality of kerogen-rich layers and the second permeability determined for the kerogen-poor layer of the layered shale formation.

14. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the program further causes the processor to estimate the kerogen-related porosity of each of the plurality of kerogen-rich layers, based on a corresponding vitrinite reflectivity of the particular kerogen-rich layer of the layered shale formation.

15. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the parameters of the macro-scale model are adjusted so as to model hydrocarbon transport in the kerogen-rich layer and the kerogen-poor layer of the layered shale formation.

16. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein the hydrocarbon transport in the kerogen-rich layer is modeled using a statistical mechanics flow regime based on non-Darcy flow, and the hydrocarbon transport in the kerogen-poor layer is modeled using a continuum mechanics flow regime based on Darcy flow.

17. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein the hydrocarbon transport in both the kerogen-rich layer and the kerogen-poor layer of the layered shale formation are modeled using a continuum mechanics flow regime based on Darcy flow.

18. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the program further causes the processor to:

plan a path of the wellbore through the layered shale formation, based on the predicted hydrocarbon production.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

simulate hydrocarbon movement through a micro-scale model of a kerogen-rich layer of a layered shale formation;

determine a permeability for the kerogen-rich layer of the layered shale formation, based on the simulation through the micro-scale model;

determine a permeability for a kerogen-poor layer of the layered shale formation based on a well log obtained for the layered shale formation;

adjust parameters of a macro-scale model for use with the layered shale formation, based on the respective permeabilities of the kerogen-rich and kerogen-poor layers of the layered shale formation; and

predict hydrocarbon production for drilling a wellbore within the layered shale formation, based on the adjusted parameters of the macro-scale model.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the micro-scale model represents a kerogen-related porosity of the kerogen-rich layer of the layered shale formation, and the program further causes the processor to:

simulate hydrocarbon movement through the kerogen-related porosity represented by the micro-scale model; and

determine the permeability of the kerogen-rich layer based on the simulation.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the micro-scale model further represents a water-wet porosity of the kerogen-rich layer of the layered shale formation, and when the processor simulates, the program further causes the processor to:

simulate hydrocarbon movement through the kerogen-related porosity and the water-wet porosity of the kerogen-rich layer as represented by the micro-scale model; and

determine the permeability based on the simulated hydrocarbon movement through the kerogen-related porosity and the water-wet porosity.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the kerogen-rich layer is one of a plurality of kerogen-rich layers represented by the micro-scale model for the layered shale formation, and when the processor simulates, the program further causes the processor to:

simulate hydrocarbon movement through the kerogen-related porosity and the water-wet porosity of each of the plurality of kerogen-rich layers of the layered shale formation, based on the micro-scale model;

determine the permeability for each of the plurality of kerogen-rich layers of the layered shale formation based on the simulated hydrocarbon movement through the kerogen-related porosity and the water-wet porosity of each kerogen-rich layer; and

adjust the parameters of the macro-scale model, based on the permeability determined for each of the plurality of kerogen-rich layers and the permeability determined for the kerogen-poor layer of the layered shale formation.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the program further causes the processor to estimate the kerogen-related porosity of each of the plurality of kerogen-rich layers, based on a corresponding vitrinite reflectivity of the particular kerogen-rich layer of the layered shale formation.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the parameters of the macro-scale model are adjusted so as to model hydrocarbon transport in the kerogen-rich layer and the kerogen-poor layer of the layered shale formation.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24 , wherein the hydrocarbon transport in the kerogen-rich layer is modeled using a statistical mechanics flow regime based on non-Darcy flow, and the hydrocarbon transport in the kerogen-poor layer is modeled using a continuum mechanics flow regime based on Darcy flow.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24 , wherein the hydrocarbon transport in both the kerogen-rich layer and the kerogen-poor layer of the layered shale formation are modeled using a continuum mechanics flow regime based on Darcy flow.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the program further causes the processor to:

plan a path of a wellbore through the layered shale formation, based on the predicted hydrocarbon production.

28. A computer-implemented method comprising:

simulating, by a computer system, movement of hydrocarbons through a micro-scale model representing a kerogen-rich layer of a layered shale formation;

determining, by the computer system, a permeability of the kerogen-rich layer of the layered shale formation based on the simulation through the micro-scale model;

determining, by the computer system, a permeability of a kerogen-poor layer of the layered shale formation based on a well log obtained for the layered shale formation;

modeling, by the computer system, hydrocarbon production from the layered shale formation, based on the permeability of the kerogen-rich layer of the layered shale formation and the permeability of the kerogen-poor layer of the layered shale formation; and

planning, by the computer system, a path of a wellbore to be drilled through the layered shale formation, based on the modeled hydrocarbon production.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein modeling hydrocarbon production comprises:

adjusting parameters of a macro-scale model for use with the layered shale formation, based on the first and second permeabilities determined for the respective kerogen-rich and kerogen-poor layers of the layered shale formation; and

predicting hydrocarbon production from the layered shale formation based on the adjusted parameters of the macro-scale model.