The refinements of directional drilling have enhanced shale plays with increased opportunities afforded by lateral boring.
But when it comes to the below-ground magic of fracking, innovative techniques sometimes are buried in corporate secrecy.
“The more efficient ways we’ve learned to frack is proprietary,” said Marty Carley, vice president SWN Drilling Services.
One of the innovations to fracture gas shale that has escaped the shadows is a method that creates short and wide fissures instead of long and narrow ones.
Whiting Petroleum Corp. of Denver revealed last year a technique it has deployed for achieving improved production, a “plug and perf” method of fracking.
The technique is used in wells with cemented liners with multiple perforations made for wider injections of sand and water. This fracking method uses much more sand and water.
Producers are experimenting with techniques to refrack existing wells to boost production, a less expensive option compared to drilling new wells.
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