Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on January 23, 2010 at 14:09

Kurt, the rig is still drilling this well so they are probable finishing up the horizontal lateral now. The well will require a multi-stage fracture stimulational on the horizontal lateral.

The well will not be deemed as capable of producing marketable quantities of natural gas until after frac'ing. A Haynesville Shale well will not produce any natural gas unless it is frac'ed.

They may need to do another frac job if they drill another well in the area. Each well requires only one frac job.

Permalink Reply by Kurt Grussendorf on January 23, 2010 at 14:29

Les B: Are you saying that they are already drilling horizontally into the shale? Not sure what you mean by "horizontal lateral." On the video I watched they inserted explosives for a certain segment. Then they repeated the process mutiple times as they moved further along a horizontal plane into the shale layer. So they only require one hydraulic frac for that?

I got the impression that some wells are merely a vertical shaft and do not go horizontal. You must forgive me as a novice for asking what may appear to be silly questions. I gather you are saying they may not need me again unless they do another well. Do you know if they can recycle or leave the chemical-laced water in the well or will they have to store it some place and eventually haul it away? Once they have a producer is it likely they will go into pad mode or will they more likely go elsewhere to drill additional wells? I will shutup now. Kurt

Permalink Reply by Kurt Grussendorf on January 23, 2010 at 17:24

I think I have the answers to all of my questions. Yes, a well is fraced just once. But a selective few have been multiple fraced. There is no consensus as to this procedure. It is more likely that another well would be drilled at the pad which would require a frac on the new well. I gather that more than one lateral well can be spudded off the vertical bore. Seems to me each of those might require a frac?

Wastewater is disposed of in a saltwater well which is separately bored and rigidly regulated by the state. Soooo now I know. I done edumacated myself!

Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on January 23, 2010 at 18:20

Kurt. All Haynesvlle horizontal wells are fraced one time. In 12 or more (multiple) stages. Each stage is approximately 300'. The process takes several days and the total fresh water required is about 3M gallons. Only one horizontal lateral is drilled per vertical well bore. More than one well may be drilled from a pad. After each stage is fraced, the water used is allowed to "flow back". This frac water is not the same as the salt water although it does pick up some chlorides from the formation. The saltwater that is mentioned in conjunction with a Salt Water Disposal well is a component of daily production. The well will produce salt water from the formation as a by product of the hydrocarbons. Most SWD wells were not originally drilled for that purpose. They were once producing wells that have been converted to Salt Water Disposal. And re-permitted as such.

Permalink Reply by Kurt Grussendorf on January 23, 2010 at 18:37

Yep. You really covered the waterfront. Thanks. I have read that some frac fluids that are not recycled in a well may be disposed of. I do know that there were trucks hauling out salt water from an operation on the road that borders my property some 1-2 years ago. I know because the neighbors complained that the trucks were beating up the road.

Guess my only hope is that some new wells are drilled that might want to use me. But let me tell you--my price has gone way up now that I am aware of one frac per well.

Thanks again. Kurt.

Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on January 27, 2010 at 19:10

Kurt, +/- 25% of the frac fluids (99% water) will flow back within the first few weeks and will likely be disposed in a Class II injection well. Most operators are not yet re-using frac fluids but may in the future.

Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on January 27, 2010 at 19:14

Kurt, multi-stage fracture stimulations (frac jobs) on horizontal wells are conducted as a single continuous operation over a one week period. Each horizontal well consists of a single vertical wellbore and horizontal lateral section.