Halliburton Co. has introduced ExpressFiber, a single-use fiber optic cable that offers accurate, direct subsurface measurements, including cross-well communication, at a price point that enables fracture monitoring on every well pad, the company said on July 27.

Understanding and optimizing well and fracture interference is a significant challenge that operators face today. ExpressFiber uses distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) to acquire a direct measurement of micro seismic, strain, and temperature unlike other cross-well monitoring techniques that provide indirect estimates. ExpressFiber, paired with our intelligent fracturing and subsurface monitoring services, provides real-time actionable insights of fracture growth and well interference, allowing operators to improve completions designs and gain overall capital efficiency.

ExpressFiber is the most economic fiber solution for routine cross-well monitoring. It has little to no impact to operations and can be pumped downhole in offset wells within a couple of hours. This single-use fiber can be installed any time before or during the fracturing operation. ExpressFiber is designed to withstand downhole conditions for the duration of the stimulation treatment before degrading and has no impact to subsequent fracturing operations in offset wellbores.

“When it comes to direct measurement of the subsurface, fiber is the most direct and trusted sensor of choice, but traditionally it has been expensive and complex to install,” Michael Segura, vice president of production enhancement, said. “Our innovative fiber portfolio transforms fracture monitoring from an application reserved for science wells to a routine solution for regular use on more wells across your asset.”

Through an exclusive five-year agreement for North America unconventionals, ExpressFiber will be enabled by FiberLine Intervention (FLI), a wellbore surveying technique from Well-SENSE Technology Ltd.