Archive of Texas PTTC Workshops

Deep Gas Well Stimulation Workshop

Wednesday, December 8, 2004
Houston Research Center, 11611 West Little York Rd., Houston
Workshop Highlights:
  Case histories illustrating well stimulation practices.
  Plays in Texas and the Rockies.
  Presentations from hydraulic fracturing service providers providing their perspectives on needs and technology advances.
Who Should Attend this Workshop?
  Exploration and development engineers and geologists.
Workshop Description
Pinnacle Technologies, Inc. recently conducted a study on hydraulic fracturing of deep gas wells for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The study consisted of an assessment of current and projected U.S. deep gas drilling activity, review of rock mechanics & fracture growth in deep, high pressure/temperature wells and studies of a few wells in selected areas. This half-day workshop will cover the results of this study including case histories reviewing fracture design, execution and evaluation.
Agenda
Presentation in PDF format (1.25 MB) Introduction and Project Overview: Steve Wolhart, Pinnacle
Review of deep gas well drilling in the U.S. (1995-2007), key regions and active operators
Presentation in PDF format (3 MB) Fracture Growth in Deep Reservoirs: Mike Mayerhofer, Pinnacle
Summary of rock mechanics and fracture growth in deep reservoirs.
Presentation in PDF format Case History – Jennings Ranch Field, South Texas: Mike Mayerhofer, Pinnacle
Results of fracture engineering, fracture modeling and production data analysis for six wells completed in the Lobo sands in Zapata County, TX.
Presentation in PDF format Case History – Bossier Sands, East Texas: Richard Sullivan, Anadarko
Results of fracture mapping, fracture engineering & modeling and production data analysis for several wells completed in the Bossier Sands in East Texas.
Presentation in PDF format (1.30 MB) Case History – Table Rock Field, Wyoming: Mike Mayerhofer, Pinnacle
Results of fracture engineering and fracture modeling for five wells targeting the Lower and Upper Weber sandstones and Weber Dolomite in the Wamsutter area of Wyoming.

Presentations in PDF format
R. Matson
D. Adams
E. Brown (1.2 MB)

Service company perspectives on needs, new technologies, and what next. Brief presentations from service providers, then they and Pinnacle Technologies with participate in Q&A session: Ron Matson, BJ Services, David Adams, Halliburton, and Ernie Brown, Schlumberger
Presentation in PDF format Upcoming DOE Solicitations: John Rogers, DOE-NETL
   
Project Background
The DOE’s Deep Trek Program is targeted at improving the economics of drilling and completing deep gas wells. The challenges of drilling and completing deep gas wells are quite significant. Relatively few deep wells (>15,000 feet true vertical depth) are drilled annually. Of the estimated 29,000 wells (oil, gas and dry holes) drilled in U.S. in 2002, approximately 300 were deep wells. Deep drilling peaked at 425 wells in 1998 and fell to 250 wells in 1999 as part of the overall industry downturn. Deep drilling is expected to rise in 2004 and then plateau through 2007.

Successful deep gas wells can be prolific producers and it is projected that natural gas from deep reservoirs will be essential to meeting future domestic supply demand. To help with the development of deep reservoirs the DOE is sponsoring the Deep Trek Program targeted at improving the economics of drilling and completing deep gas wells. As part of the Deep Trek Program, DOE is supporting two studies: one to benchmark current deep drilling technologies and the other on hydraulic fracturing of deep gas wells.

Organizations
The DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory is the lead field center for the Office of Fossil Energy's research and development program. Scientists at its Pittsburgh, PA, and Morgantown, WV, campuses conduct onsite research while contract administrators oversee nearly 700 federally-sponsored projects conducted by private sector research partners.

Pinnacle Technologies, Inc. is an energy industry engineering service, consulting and software firm specializing in the optimization of hydraulic fracturing. Pinnacle provides a combination of fracture and reservoir engineering, fracture mapping and reservoir monitoring technologies, and stimulation software for enhancing production economics.
For more information, please call Sigrid Clift at 512-471-0320.
E-mail sigrid.clift@beg.utexas.edu