Issue: June 2011
A unique ‘four-well equivalent’ geometry efficiently maximized reservoir contact in an interbedded sand and shale formation. Completing these wells, however, presented considerable challenges.
A California operator found that its thermal production program using vertical wells improved heavy oil mobility in a shallower, low-permeability zone, enabling improved productivity using horizontal wells.
Parametric studies were conducted to show how particle diameter, tilt angle and cake porosity affect shale shaker capacity. Particle diameters and porosities were shown to have considerable effects on performance, but the particle size does not have a significant effect on the screen length.
Research efforts are focused on technologies for unconventional gas, ultradeep water and HPHT, and in support of small producers.
It was big news in March when the Haynesville shale of Texas and Louisiana surpassed the nearby Barnett, in Texas’ Dallas-Fort Worth area, as the most productive shale play.
Combining forward trishear models with stochastic global optimization algorithms allows a quantitative assessment of the uncertainty associated with a given structural model.
Technically, screen-out refers to a condition where continued injection of fluid inside the fracture requires pressures in excess of the safe limitations of the wellbore or wellhead equipment.
New developments include an ultrasonic wireline imager, an electromagnetic free-point indicator, wired and fiber-optic coiled tubing systems and extreme-temperature LWD tools.
The Asia-Pacific region is divided into nations of energy “haves” and “have-nots.” Japan and South Korea are highly industrialized nations with virtually no oil and gas resources.
A new slant to what constitutes drilling efficiency
Us vs. them or we
Get in the game
Vol. 232 No. 6 NELL LUKOSAVICH, SENIOR EDITOR Marvin Gearhart: Oil field of dreams Marvin Gearhart If there’s one person who knows the oilfield business inside and ou
The ‘Arab Spring’ springs oil prices
Frontier exploration in the Kara Sea
Learning to get along with NORM and the bone-seekers
Companies in the news
Industry at a glance
Meetings and Events
New products and services
People in industry
Shell’s floating LNG project underway
