Gone are the days when lateral lengths in unconventional wells measured in hundreds of meters (or feet) were considered long. While it is not uncommon to hear of lateral lengths measuring in miles in plays like the Bakken, those lengths are starting to crop up with more frequency in the Permian Basin, Utica and elsewhere.
According to Stratas Advisors, the trend to longer laterals and more intensely fractured wells is expected to continue. Lateral lengths are estimated to increase by another 10% this year, according to the analysts. Proppant intensity is a good proxy for the level of intensity on the completion, with Stratas estimating proppant intensity also to increase 10% this year.
The articles that follow feature the technologies, from 3,000-hp rigs to redesigned pressure pumping systems and more, making it possible for operators to get more oil and gas in the pipeline by going longer.
Read each of E&P magazine's July "shale technologies" cover stories:
Higher horsepower rig making waves in the Delaware Basin
Engineering a new pumping approach
Raising the bar on refracture modeling
Recommended Reading
Surge of Longer Lateral Drilling to Enhance Reservoir Recovery
2024-06-25 - With energy demand growing, operators look to supply hydrocarbons by drilling longer wells.
Are 3-mile Laterals Worth the Extra Mile?
2024-07-12 - Every additional foot increases production, but it also increases costs.
Found in Mitchell County, Permian Basin: 2.5-mile Wolfcamp Stepouts
2024-06-06 - Bayswater Exploration & Production has taken its Midland Basin oil play far east into Mitchell County where a high carbonate content “gives us a chance to really compete with the big guys.”
Permian To Drive Two-thirds of US Oil Output Growth Through '25 – EIA
2024-06-12 - The Permian Basin will drive U.S. oil production growth for the foreseeable future, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. But Permian associated gas growth continues to pressure the natural gas industry.
‘Too Many’ Players: Oilfield Services Feel Permian M&A Crunch—Dallas Fed
2024-06-27 - After a historic run of E&P consolidation, oilfield services and equipment providers in the Permian are competing to woo a dwindling number of upstream customers, according to the second-quarter Dallas Fed Energy Survey.