Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on July 4, 2011 at 14:52

Depends on the "throw".  That being the distance of displacement from the point of separation.  The directional drilling capabilities employed in the lateral portion of the well bore are limited, ie. the drill bit can not make extreme turns in short distances.  If the fault throw is too great for the driller to keep the well bore in the target zone, the frac will "screen out" and only a portion of the lateral will be capable of producing from the target zone.  On the other hand the shale generally has a greater network of natural fractures in areas proximal to faults.  The simplest way to avoid drilling through major faults is to create units in shape and size that allow economic length laterals that drill up to but not through faults.

Permalink Reply by Gambler on July 4, 2011 at 14:58

Oh ok. causes a big mess    Hey i was reading on here that the normal decline for Haynesville is running about 80% for the first year. Do you think that is correct?

Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on July 4, 2011 at 15:11

There is no "normal" as there are differing strategies employed by different companies and insufficient data at this early stage to confirm that a particular well design and production model is best.  And the physical properties of the shale vary across the extent of the Play.  I believe that most companies employing a more "open"choke production design do project a first year decline in the 75-80% range.  Those using a "restricted" choke program seem to think first year decline may be as low as 50%.  And then there are companies that use both production programs in different areas of the Play.

Permalink Reply by Gambler on July 4, 2011 at 15:52

Yea i was just wondering. this is all new to me so i am just trying to learn as i go. Our well is on a 24/64 choke according to what they have put on Sonris. It is well #239985. It started out ok and then went down for several months due to something getting stuck somewhere. I never really understood what happend. But it is up and producing again which i guess is all that matters. Just wish they would put a few more wells in the same unit. Ha ha ha

Permalink Reply by Two Dogs, Pirate on July 4, 2011 at 14:56

The fault can raise or lower the formation to the point where the horizontal bore would go above or below the formation.

Permalink Reply by Belmont Boy on July 5, 2011 at 8:21

Skip & Two Dogs, Pirate:  "Fault" issues continue to perplex me.  They supposedly lost a well in a unit I have acreage in due to a "fault" problem.  For years I was told there was a "major fault" running through the area.  However, when I view the Petrohawk map referenced above, I find no indication of a fault anywhere around S28-T9N-R11W, Sabine Parish.  There is the one starting in 3-10-11, and your comments seem to indicate it might create problems in a couple of sections well to the north and west of me.  I was recently presented a map, created by a major lease holding/drilling company in the HS, which indicated a "major fault" running southeast to northwest (S20-T8N-R11W thru sections 16, 7, 6 and on into S36-T9N-R12W and sections 25, 23, 14 and 9)  The map I reviewed did not indicate the beginning point, or the termination point;  merely these included sections.  Yet, the Petrohawk map shows no indication of this "fault line."  Is there a single source that will indicate all of the purported "fault lines" in north Sabine Parish?  Any explanation why one major company would indicate a particular "fault," while no indication of what is classified as a "major fault line" on another company's map?  Thanks for sharing your expertise.

Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on July 5, 2011 at 9:32

In my experience the Petrohawk map has proved to be surprisingly accurate when compared to proprietary maps generated by the operators.  However, I suspect that the data used to generate the HK map does not contain fault data generated by the last few years of seismic shoots as that information is not only new but proprietary and commissioned by competitors of HK.  In general areas that have had slight or non-existent exploration and production in the last thirty years have little in the way of fault data.  The interest by the industry in accurate fault data has increased quite a bit now that they are drilling so many horizontal wells.

Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on July 6, 2011 at 9:42

BB, the Petrohawk map is probably of limited use for spotting faults since they may not have extensive data in large areas of the play.  Companies are not going to share their detailed maps showing fault locations with the general public. 

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