During recent years, unconventional shale development has seen an increasing focus toward ESG-friendly operations. North American service companies have responded to this shift by accelerating development of innovative technologies and systems that enable operational efficiency and improve ESG goals.
One such company is Houston-based Universal Pressure Pumping, which provides pressure pumping and reservoir enhancement services across Texas, Appalachia and the Midcontinent regions. Established in 1980, the company has developed several industry-first sustainable rig-based technologies including the dual-fuel system, noted Akshay Sagar, president of Universal Pressure Pumping.
Dual fuel, which means operating a diesel engine on a combination of both diesel fuel and natural gas simultaneously, reduces the amount of diesel fuel a fracturing spread uses by as much as 55%.
More recently, Universal launched the ECOverse sustainable solutions that Sagar explained consist of a number of different platforms that are focused on emissions reduction and the wider ‘E’ aspect of ESG.
“Primarily focused on emissions side, we have the ECOplus platform, which is our highest fuel substitution platform that allows us 85% substitution of diesel with natural gas,” he noted.
The ECOplus system is designed to maximize the displacement of diesel, especially for operators with field gas availability looking to reduce their diesel fuel dependence.
Additionally, in first-quarter 2022, Universal is set to commercialize ECOstart, which is an integrated and automated engine idle reduction system that continuously monitors the entire fleet to ensure all engines are ready for action and users can reduce the idle time by up to 70% , cutting both fuel costs and emissions.
“We look at ESG as something critical to our DNA,” Sagar said. “In addition to our sustainable offerings…we look at simple things like how many crew vans do we want? What is the best way to optimize logistics? We also have a new AI-driven platform that looks at the number of truck trips that are made to the well site because they are also a source of emissions.”
“As a fracking company,” he continued, “we don’t just look at reducing emissions, but also at water optimization and replacing standard chemicals with green chemistry.”
Jump to a topic:
- Emissions-focused technologies (0:31)
- ESG-friendly fracking operations (3:15)
- Rethinking pressure pumping (5:30)
- Operators and new technologies (8:10)
Recommended Reading
Huddleston: Haynesville E&P Aethon Ready for LNG, AI and Even an IPO
2025-01-22 - Gordon Huddleston, president and partner of Aethon Energy, talks about well costs in the western Haynesville, prepping for LNG and AI power demand and the company’s readiness for an IPO— if the conditions are right.
E&P Highlights: Dec. 16, 2024
2024-12-16 - Here’s a roundup of the latest E&P headlines, including a pair of contracts awarded offshore Brazil, development progress in the Tishomingo Field in Oklahoma and a partnership that will deploy advanced electric simul-frac fleets across the Permian Basin.
Watch for Falling Gas DUCs: E&Ps Resume Completions at $4 Gas
2025-01-23 - Drilled but uncompleted (DUC) gas wells that totaled some 500 into September 2024 have declined to just under 400, according to a J.P. Morgan Securities analysis of Enverus data.
Analysis: Middle Three Forks Bench Holds Vast Untapped Oil Potential
2025-01-07 - Williston Basin operators have mostly landed laterals in the shallower upper Three Forks bench. But the deeper middle Three Forks contains hundreds of millions of barrels of oil yet to be recovered, North Dakota state researchers report.
Sliding Oil Prices Could Prompt Permian E&Ps to Cut Capex
2024-12-03 - A reduction in the rig count would also slow the growth of natural gas output from the region, benefitting gassy Gulf Coast players, according to Enverus.
Comments
Add new comment
This conversation is moderated according to Hart Energy community rules. Please read the rules before joining the discussion. If you’re experiencing any technical problems, please contact our customer care team.