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Permalink Reply by Parkdota on January 16, 2011 at 6:44

Les, do you see any implications of this other than ease of drilling restrictions for the operators? 

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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on January 16, 2011 at 19:32

Parkdota, I am not sure if you will see this done for other units.  Operators also have the option to request exceptions but this could be an easier approach. 

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Permalink Reply by P.G. on January 16, 2011 at 21:50

Does that mean they could put more than 8 wells to a section?

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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on January 17, 2011 at 4:54

PG, operators have stated their intent to put up to 16 wells in a section where both the Haynesville Shale and Bossier Shale are present.  This would require exceptions to the 660 ft spacing or splitting the two formations into separate units.

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Permalink Reply by P.G. on January 17, 2011 at 5:19

Are the two shale formations separated enough they wouldn't interfere with each other?

 

Could existing wells be re-drilled with horizontal and vertical  legs off the main lateral into other nearby formations?

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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on January 17, 2011 at 10:33

PG, there is an adequate layer of low quality shale rock between the two target formation layers to avoid interference.

 

I don't follow your second question because you don't drill vertical legs off horizontal laterals.  Operators only drill horizontal laterals in the Haynesville Shale as an extension of the vertical section of the wellbore.  Rarely do operators use existing vertical wellbores because the original casing would normally be inadequate for drilling the horizontal lateral required for Haynesville Shale producers.  

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Permalink Reply by P.G. on January 17, 2011 at 13:03

Legs off lateral..

Maybe think of branching like centipede legs only not so many legs or say a fish bone pattern.  And if they could go left or right off the main line, why not up or down, perhaps  gradual angles rather than sharp right angles. Be something if they could just run one lateral down the middle of a section and then branch out from that lateral to drain it all.. Guess that isn't something that's possible, huh?

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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on January 17, 2011 at 14:07

PG, what you are envisioning is impossible for the Haynesville Shale plus way more expensive than just drilling multiple wells.

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Permalink Reply by adubu on January 20, 2011 at 15:04

Les B -- they will basically drill stack laterals off same pad like on several wells in Texas where they have drill a H Haynesville shale then move rig over few hundred feet and the drill a H Bossier shale. They could drill 8 Haynesville and 8 Bossier in a 640 unit for total of 16 wells. Is this correct thinking Les B  ???? The operator would save about $500,000 +- for pad sites

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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on January 20, 2011 at 15:31

Adubu, yes - in some areas operators are contemplating drilling up to 16 wells in a single 640 acre section.  It is still unclear how many drilling pads they will utilize (ie how many wells per pad).  Early indications are that if a company operates adjacent north-south sections then a design might be for two pads near the section line.  Each pad would drill 8 wells in the north section and 8 wells in the south section.

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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on January 20, 2011 at 10:32

The hearing date has been delayed to February 22nd.

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