Eight wells per section configuration
I've been trying to think what the configuration of wells would be if they ever drill the famed "8 wells per section."
Current wells seem to oriented towards drilling near the corner of a section, and running one lateral parallel to one edge of the section.
I'm assuming that there is an advantage to using superpads vs. 8 separate pads. However, when the laterals are near to each other, they scavenge each others gas, and produce less than an isolated well.
It seems to make a lateral along each edge of the section, and then, perhaps a lateral running along each diagonal, but that's only 6 wells per section. it also requires 3 superpads.
It occurs to me that a superpad in opposite corner with 4 wells per pad gets you a somewhat spread out pattern of 8 laterals with only 2 superpads. You could actually use a superpad on the section corners, and drill 4 wells into each section and get 16 wells on a superpad, and only have to have a superpad on every 2 sections.
Has anyone really thought things out to this level of organization and optimization? Is there some "better" layout of pads and wells on a section?
Do they ever use multiple laterals per "vertical" bore?
All the laterals I see are straight. Do they ever curve a lateral? If you can go down vertically, and turn 90 degrees to be horizontal, can you go North for a while, then turn 90 degrees to the right and go East for a while? As a silly example, drill just one well in the middle of a section, and run it around in a spiral pattern to drain the whole section in just one well?
Current wells seem to oriented towards drilling near the corner of a section, and running one lateral parallel to one edge of the section.
I'm assuming that there is an advantage to using superpads vs. 8 separate pads. However, when the laterals are near to each other, they scavenge each others gas, and produce less than an isolated well.
It seems to make a lateral along each edge of the section, and then, perhaps a lateral running along each diagonal, but that's only 6 wells per section. it also requires 3 superpads.
It occurs to me that a superpad in opposite corner with 4 wells per pad gets you a somewhat spread out pattern of 8 laterals with only 2 superpads. You could actually use a superpad on the section corners, and drill 4 wells into each section and get 16 wells on a superpad, and only have to have a superpad on every 2 sections.
Has anyone really thought things out to this level of organization and optimization? Is there some "better" layout of pads and wells on a section?
Do they ever use multiple laterals per "vertical" bore?
All the laterals I see are straight. Do they ever curve a lateral? If you can go down vertically, and turn 90 degrees to be horizontal, can you go North for a while, then turn 90 degrees to the right and go East for a while? As a silly example, drill just one well in the middle of a section, and run it around in a spiral pattern to drain the whole section in just one well?
Views: 375
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on -
It has fracture patterns, KB.
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Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on
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Sorry, Les. That's what I thought I said. LOL!
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Permalink Reply by Mac Davis on
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Someone pointed out that there is a strong incentive to get one well into each section to prevent leases from expiring. Once all the interesting sections are drilled, multiple wells per section get more interesting.
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Permalink Reply by Mac Davis on
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"I've actually always wondered whether they would actually 'mine' the shale, take it to a frac plant and produce the gas there."
No, they won't.
10,000 feet underground, not that much gas per cubic foot of rock, pressurized at 4000 PSI, etc.
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Permalink Reply by elgato on
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KB - good luck in your attempt to debunk the concept of possession in legal analysis! Since you openly ruminate about these things I would suggest you read the fox and hound case. One of the true classics of property law. It will give you an understanding of the evolution of the theory and may give you more appreciation of its application to La. mineral law.
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Permalink Reply by Mac Davis on
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How about something more googlabe than "fox and hound case?" I couldn't find anything.
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Permalink Reply by CB on
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That's why I come to this site when I need a good laugh. This site cracks me up. I love it.
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Permalink Reply by essay on
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one thing i've been wondering about regarding superpads... is there a generally accepted standard operating procedure for the frac process, i.e., are all wells drilled beforehand and then done in quick succession, or do they have to be considered individual jobs in logistical terms. seems to me that the former would be more efficient, since there is less equipment shuffling.
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