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INDEPENDENTS ARMEDWITH NEW TECHNOLOGIESTAKE THE LEAD AGAINSpend a few days in the Williston Basinand you will quickly come to know thatthe Bakken is back.
From the sweet spot located in Montana’sRichland county and extending north andeast into North Dakota, this unconvention-al oil play is one of the hottest in the upperRockies. As with most unconventionalplays today, the Bakken is being exploitedpredominantly by mid-to-large independ-ents applying new technologies, spurred by high oil prices. Gauged by the highdemand for rigs in the area, the futurelooks bright.
The key to recent Bakken success is theapplication of improved horizontal drillingand massive hydraulic fracturing technolo-gies. New directional control and the abili-ty to drill multiple laterals havemade the economics of thisplay viable. Even thoughthe Bakken is produc-tive without fractur-ing, experience hasshown that effectivelyfracturing these lateralssignificantly improvesthe production rate and ultimate recovery.
Completion diagnostics provided byProTechnics are being employed by almost all area operators to provide theonly direct measurements able to determinethe effectiveness of the fracture treatment.Evolutions in well completions—such asdrilling longitudinal or transverse to themaximum stress, whether to cement the
liner or not, the use of limited-entry perfo-rating and other issues—are being validatedthrough the use of completion diagnostics.
From the early development of the currentBakken play, ProTechnics completion diag-nostic services and SpectraScan imaginghave played a key role. Many stimulation
decisions have been evaluated basedon measurements of actu-
al fracture placementand the effective-
ness of divertingstages.
One of thearea’s most
successful opera-tors, Lyco Energy
Corporation, has successfullyteamed with Halliburton Digital ConsultingSolutions to develop a completion strategytailored to the Bakken.
continued on back cover
THE BAKKEN IS BACK!
PROTECHNOLOGY IS A REGULAR TECHNICAL REVIEW FOR
CLIENTS OF PROTECHNICS, A DIVISION OF CORE LABORATORIES,
L.P. FOR MORE INFORMATION, OR TO COMMENT ON THIS
NEWSLETTER, PLEASE CONTACT US AT 713-328-2320, OR VISIT
OUR WEBSITE AT WWW. CORELAB.COM/PROTECHNICS.
S P R I N G 2 0 0 6 / A P R I L
COMPLETION DIAGNOSTICS NEWS FROM PROTECHNICS
P R O D U C T I O N E N H A N C E M E N T
©2006 Core Laboratories, L.P. All registered trademarks acknowledged.
“COMPLETION DIAGNOSTICS PROVIDED BY PROTECHNICS EMPOWERED OUR ENGINEERING TEAM WITH THE ONLY DIRECT MEASUREMENTS TO
DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVE PLACEMENT OF THE FRACTURE TREATMENT. THIS KNOWLEDGE WAS CRITICAL TO OUR COMPLETION EVOLUTION.”
—GARY DITTMAR, LYCO PRODUCTION MANAGER
COMPLETION DIAGNOSTICSTECHNOLOGY HAS COME OF AGE
Over decades of application, completiondiagnostics have been a source of insightand success for many of the industry’s most difficult completions. In today’s reservoirs, where the term “unconventional”has become commonplace, the technologyhas come of age. From limited application and usage, completion diagnostics hasmatured into a diverse and routinely called upon technology.
High oil and gas prices, and shortages incompletion-related products and services,personnel and rigs have industry profes-sionals demanding ever-more successfulcompletions. The technical and economicchallenges of these modern assets makeunderstanding well and completion per-formance critical to success. A good wellincreasingly depends on good science.
Completion science has evolved in many forms as the industry has shifted its portfolio from conventional to unconventional prospects. This engineering innovation, driven by the steadily increas-ing need to understand and address thecomplex challenges posed by these reser-voirs, has been impressive.
Low-polymer slickwater treatments, high-temperature polymers and other exotic fluid and breaker systems now allow careful matching of completionmaterials to formation characteristics.Proppants of various densities and strengthsimprove transport and conductivity in themost rigorous applications. These compo-nents are applied using highly-automatedsystems that allow implementation of complex fracture treatment designs.
Equally impressive has been the innovationand development of completion diagnostictechnologies capable of providing the onlydirect measurements of completion effec-tiveness. Isotope and chemical tracersuniquely identify completion placementand fluid cleanup dynamics. Coupled withan impressive array of memory-based imag-ing technologies including spectral gammaray, early production logs and gamma den-sity pack evaluation logs, facture treatmentsare being understood like never before
The direct measurements provided by thesediagnostic systems are critical to effectivecalibration of frac models. Designs created
using new-generation, true 3D frac modelsand calibrated using completion diagnos-tics have caused a significant change in theway we think about the reservoir and itsresponse to a fracture treatment.
New fracture designs and near-wellborediagnostics strongly suggest that fracturegeometries are not easily modeled using the “simplistic” theories of the recent past.Successful engineers have recognized thatadvanced modeling and direct measure-ments obtained through completion diagnostics play a critical role in their ability to understand and modify the treatment.
Completion diagnostics are being successfully applied in most of today’sunconventional and high profile plays.
Oil Shale (PTNL Spring 2006/April) –When independents went back to developthe Middle Bakken in northern Montana(see lead article), they applied new tech-nologies such as horizontal completionsand large volume water fracs.
One of the early challenges was to develop a completion procedure that optimized placement of fracture stagesacross the entire lateral. Completion diagnostic tracers and coiled tubing-deployed spectral imaging provide the necessary after-frac information to evaluate different techniques.
Gas Shale (PTNL Summer2005/September) –Completion diagnostics have played a vital role in developing the Barnett Shale,often providing the only answers to many technological questions.
In early conventional completions of vertical wells, SpectraStimTM isotope tracerservices and SpectraScanTM imaging serviceswere used to determine fracture contain-ment, proppant placement and refrac effectiveness.
In addition to SpectraStim services, today’s horizontal completions includeSpectraChem chemical tracing services.These services help engineers understandthe dynamics of treatment fluid cleanup,optimize stimulation performance andimprove future well placement through two primary applications:
• Fluid recovery profiles to characterize the effectiveness of the horizontal section flow-back
• Positive evidence of communicationbetween treatment well and offset producers
Scheduled samples of the flowback fluid are collected and then analyzed for the spe-cific chemicals using gas chromatographyand mass spectrometry in the parts per
P R O T E C H N O L O G Y S P R I N G 2 0 0 6
“A GOOD WELLINCREASINGLY DEPENDS ON
GOOD SCIENCE”
“FRACTURE TREATMENTS AREBEING UNDERSTOOD LIKE
NEVER BEFORE”
GROWING TO MEET DEMAND
PROMOTIONS AND MOVESTodd Sasche – Promoted toDistrict Manager in Kilgore, TexasChad Richardson – NamedProduction Line Specialist forInvasionProfilerBrandon Watson – Transferred toGrand Junction, COLuke Handy – Has moved toimaging service engineer, Lafayette, LA
NEW ADDITIONSProTechnics continues to increaseservice capabilities and add to itstechnology prowess.
Welcome aboard:SALES REPRESENTATIVESummer Sanford – Houston, TX
HS&E SUPERVISOR ENVIRONMENTALCOMPLIANCEAndrew Allain– Houston, TX
FIELD SERVICE REPRESENTATIVESBob Crabtree – Sidney, MTSteve Beck – Oklahoma City, OKDavid Tobar – Midland, TXNephi Boyer – Rock Springs, WYMark Rogers – Kilgore, TX
IMAGING SERVICE ENGINEERSTucker Brooks – Farmington, NM
INTERNATIONAL FIELD SERVICEREPRESENTATIVEBrandon Patterson
Congratulations and GoodLuck In Your New Positions!
EXPANDING CAPABILITIESOur international operations continue to expand with majorprojects in:
• Africa- Cabinda- Equatorial Guinea- Nigera
• Asia- China
• Middle East- Oman
PLAN NOW FOR 2006 GOHFER COURSES Registration for the 2006 GOHFER Advanced Hydraulic Fracturing Design Theory & Model Introduction course is underway. The fracturing course provides an in-depth understanding of hydraulic fracturing using the GOHFER planar 3D fracture simulator.
The course is taught by Dr. Bob Barree, author of the GOHFER simulator software, and Dr. Mike Conway, president of Stim-Lab. Their classes provide a very knowledgeable and interesting study of GOHFER-implemented state-of-the art fracturing concepts from theory to design strategies. Hands-on training focuses on individual stimulation projects.
Current users or engineers looking to expand their GOHFER skill will benefit from this course. Courses will be held at the following locations and dates:
• Denver, Colorado June 12-14• Calgary, Alberta, Canada September 11-13• Houston, Texas October 23-25
In addition to scheduled courses, in-house GOHFER Fracturing Courses can also be arranged.
TO VIEW COURSE OUTLINES AND TO OBTAIN A REGISTRATION FORM, VISIT WWW.GOHFER.COM OR CONTACT
YOUR LOCAL PROTECHNICS REPRESENTATIVE. FOR INFORMATION ABOUT GOHFER 3-D FRACTURE SIMULATION SOFTWARE,
CONTACT KEVIN SVATEK AT 713.328.2304 OR [email protected]
billion. The results are normalized andplotted to develop a profile of individualand collective tracer flowback concentra-tions vs. elapsed flowback times or cumula-tive flow back volumes.
Deepwater GOM (PTNL Spring2005/April) – We used to describe 1,000ft of water as “deep water.” Now we aretalking about 10,000 ft water depths, alongwith smart wells, double-stack and triple-stack completions, deep HP/HT and even ultra HP/HT.
As deepwater challenges have grown, theneed for and the application of completiondiagnostics has also increased. Today, combination SpectraScan and Packscantracer and pack density logs are routinelyacquired from tool placement inside thewashpipe. This practical and economicalmeans of gaining some of the only availablecompletion diagnostics has become com-mon place for deepwater pioneers. Newlyintroduced chemical tracers are just nowstarting to find their own niche in theseextreme environments.
TO DOWNLOAD PREVIOUS PROTECHNOLOGY ARTICLES ON THESE PLAYS, PLEASE GO TO WWW.CORELAB.COM/PROTECHNICS
Coalbed Methane (PTNL Spring2004/May) – In the San Juan Basin of New Mexico, completion diagnostics are helping operators understand the effec-tiveness of their coal bed methane comple-tions. In the Fruitland Coal, for example,operators are faced with completing asmany as five coal stringers in a single treat-ment (including two low-pressured, highlyfractured zones). SpectraStim isotope tracerapplications provided the critical measure-ments that in some cases revealed zonalstimulation effectiveness. By-passed paywas identified.
Tight Gas Sands (PTNL Winter2004/Dec) – In the Bossier Sands of Robertson County, Texas, chemical frac tracers in conjunction with post-fracwell performance monitoring, have beenused to assess cleanup efficiency and pro-duction resulting from a strong oxidizingbreaker in the slick-water prepad of ahybrid water frac treatment. To aid in frac-turing fluid design optimization, chemicalfrac tracers were used to study the cleanupperformance of two traditional crosslinkfluid types using borate and zirconatecrosslinkers in a hybrid waterfrac design.
EXPERT’S CORNERInterview with Tom Lantz, Halliburton DCS - Asset Management
Lessons Learned:Developing theBakken inNorthern Montana
ProTechnology ispleased to present an interview withTom Lantz, westernasset manager withHalliburton Digital and Consulting Solutions, in our continu-ing series of interviews with top industryexperts on important industry topics. Thisinterview features the Bakken play innorthern Montana.
After graduating from the University ofSouthern California with a BS in ChemicalEngineering, Tom attended Colorado StateUniversity to do graduate studies inmechanical engineering.
His early work with ARCO and PhillipsPetroleum Company provided him withextensive and varied experiences in comple-
tion and reservoir engineering in theRockies, California, North Sea and Gulf of Mexico. Tom has spent the last 5 yearsas a technical expert for HalliburtonEnergy Services in their Denver office. He is currently the manager for the LycoEnergy and Halliburton DCS joint part-nership to develop the significant reservesin the Bakken play. His experience in thissuccessful venture has made him a recog-nized expert and author on the Bakkendevelopment.
In this interview, Tom shares lessonslearned from the past two years and over100 well completions in the Bakken play.The entire interview can be downloadedfrom the ProTechnics website atwww.corelab.com/ protechnics.
Interview topics include: • Producing mechanism of the Bakken• Horizontal well completion strategies• Fracturing techniques• Flowback strategies• Well spacing and lateral length
Notable quotes from the interview
“Current development efforts view theMiddle Bakken member as a low permeability, matrix dominated reservoir…”
“…stimulated lateral length is the key factorin maximizing productivity and recovery.”
“…spectral logs have been used to prioritizecandidates for re-stimulation”
“We are strong believers that these clean-outoperations are useful…”
THE BAKKEN IS BACK!continued from cover
During a recent conversation, Gary Dittmar,Lyco’s production manager, commentedthat, “Completion diagnostics provided byProTechnics empowered our engineeringteam with the only direct measurements todetermine the effective placement of thefracture treatment. This knowledge wascritical to our completion evolution.”
SpectraChem tracers, which are being used extensively in the Barnett Shale playin north Texas, are just now starting to beconsidered for the Bakken. (See PTNLSummer 2005 September)
The patented chemical tracers provide aneconomic, effective means to determinelateral cleanup. Typically used in conjunc-tion with SpectraStim isotope tracers, aunique chemical tracer is injected into eachdifferent stage. Subsequent laboratory
chemical analysis of the flowback fluids canqualitatively and quantitatively determineif all stages are contributing to flowbackand to what degree they are cleaning up.Offset well interference can also be ana-lyzed through the use of SpectraChemtracers.
New technologies teamed up with comple-tion diagnostics have brought new life backto the Bakken development.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT BILL YURKOSKI AT
TOM LANTZ Note from the Editor The Expert’sCorner is a continuing feature ofProTechnology newsletter. Our objective is to bring you interviewsand discussions with industry-recog-nized experts that examine the latestand most current knowledge andopinions on the subject of stimula-tion. Because of the length of mostinterviews, interview highlights are presented in this newsletter, with the entire interview published on the ProTechnics website.
TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS, IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS
ABOUT EXPERT’S CORNER, PLEASE CONTACT WADE
HUTCHINSON AT [email protected]
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