Technology

  As some of you know I work for a fracking company. As a landowner I question a bit more than most.

So let me throw this out as no question is a dumb question when learning.

  We know that fracking as its called creates cracks in a formation and with the use of sand it holds these cracks open allowing oil to drain along with a path way for gas. (Trying to keep it simple) We know that wells are  best managed by finding the balance between pressure and flow. In older formations (such as the Clinton) that were repeatedly drilled these formations do not have the pressure they once had nor the production as a result.

 With horizontal drilling it opens up more ideas at least to me,lol. I doubt that all of the oil was drained out of the Clinton and believe that if horizontal drilling was used to say connect the dots (voids between the Clinton wells spaced 20 acres apart and fracked we would obtain more oil. 

 Ah the pressure problem. Suppose we use the gas pressure from a different formation? Say we drill into a deeper formation and channel that pressure into say a Clinton formation? We know how to separate the oil and liquids from a well, we know how to pressurize gas store gas and even inject it back into the earth for storage. Call it a loop if you will. 

  I personally have never heard of this but in some areas water is injected (not fracking) into oil fields to increase production so why couldn't we use gas the way nature uses it?

  OK oil engineers, geologist tear it apart if you want but I remind you some of the most intelligent scholars said man would never fly until a couple bicycle mechanics  proved them wrong.

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Permalink Reply by Brian Day on March 19, 2013 at 11:15am

Yes, I have heard that many times before.  Let me clarify carefully so as not to offend anyone.  If there were gas or oil down in a structure at 10 or 11 thousand feet, and it was composed of a rock of the density or permiability of the Utica shale, would injection of CO2 or water be a viable tool?  How about the Blackriver/trenton at 15 thousand feet, even though no gas or oil exists at that depth?

Permalink Reply by Joseph-Ohio on March 19, 2013 at 3:06am

BPW and all,

I presented this idea a few times on different posts and wonder about whether or not the methodology has ever been tried on a frac'd horizontal.  Maybe you can tell me and perhaps voice your opinion on it's practicality.

In areas with low geo-pressure how about drilling the horizontal / lateral on a downward slope, then providing a reservoir at it's terminus.  Then drilling another vertical to the reservoir.  Then fracturing the lateral (pick your method).  Then, the oil resource could flow by gravity to the reservoir where a Pump Jack / Nodding Donkey could lift it to the surface.  Any dry gas would fill the initial vertical and be drawn off.

Any merit ? 

If all of that is more costly, then once again the price for the recovered resources would simply rise.  You know - Capitalism again kicking in.

Permalink Reply by Brian Powers on March 19, 2013 at 3:25am

J-O

What you are discribing is analogous to the SAGD (steam assisted gravity drainage) method used in heavy oil reservoirs in Canada, Venezuela, and other locations to exploit those resources. The steam heats and thins the oil, the oil gravity feeds to the sumps and is lifted to surface by pumps.

 

Expensive? Yes, Practical for tight shale? Debatable

 

IMO-

 

Brian

Permalink Reply by Joseph-Ohio on March 19, 2013 at 3:28am

Thanks for your reply Mr. Brian.

J-O

Permalink Reply by Joseph-Ohio on March 19, 2013 at 6:40am

Brian, Billy Park Whyde, and all,

Is the SAGD method being used in the 'Canadian Tar Sands' play(s) ?

Canada has the 'Tar Sands' and most recently I've read that we (the U.S.A.) are planning / constructing infrastructure (pipelines) to send our NGL's to Canada to thin their viscous / thick production so it can then be transported back to the U.S.A's. refineries in other pipelines.

Maybe an analysis of how the expense involved in all of that weighs in against all of the ramifications of the SAGD method (that you've described above) and / or the theoretical extraction method my post inquired about (above), if either were to be applied to our own Domestic Low Geopressure Ohio Utica geography ?

What do you folks think ?

I have to add - Economics are tricky - especially (in this instance) if you're the O & G Company looking for a market for your NGL's.  That guy wouldn't think of weighing the big extraction picture against his market - since he's only looking to market his product - probably he could care less about the big picture !

Permalink Reply by Brian Day on March 19, 2013 at 11:02am

How about the Blackriver/Trento at about 15 thousand feet for injection?  That is a different situation from a continious layer of shale.

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