Oilfield services provider Patterson-UTI on Sept. 3 said it had no plans to invest in electric hydraulic fracturing fleets, pointing to the high cost of building equipment and the oversupplied pressure pumping market.
The company provides drilling and hydraulic fracturing services for oil and gas producers. It has explored divesting its fracking business as customers are cutting back on new projects.
Newer equipment known as electric frac spreads have been gaining interest among investors and operators because they run on natural gas instead of more costly and polluting diesel.
Patterson-UTI manufactures electrical control systems used for electric frac spreads, but does not own any electric frac fleets.
“I’ll tell you today, the math doesn't work,” said CEO Andy Hendricks at the Barclays Energy-Power Conference in New York, pointing to the oversupplied pressure pumping market.
“We don't see the need to go that route today, but we could do it if we want,” he added.
The company already runs some drilling rigs on natural gas produced at nearby wells, and on Sept. 3 said in the past year it started running some drilling rigs on lithium battery packs, in addition to diesel. The hybrid rigs help reduce emissions, Hendricks told investors.
Recommended Reading
Delivering Dividends Through Digital Technology
2024-12-30 - Increasing automation is creating a step change across the oil and gas life cycle.
Tethys Oil Suspends Kunooz-1 Well in Oman
2024-12-13 - The decision to suspend its Kunooz-1 exploration well comes after flow testing failed to confirm the presence of commercially-viable hydrocarbons, Tethys said.
Aris Water Solutions’ Answers to Permian’s Produced Water Problem
2024-12-04 - Aris Water Solutions has some answers to one of the Permian’s biggest headwinds—produced water management—but there’s still a ways to go, said CEO Amanda Brock at the DUG Executive Oil Conference & Expo.
Innovative Insulation: The Future of Thermal Management
2024-12-31 - Silicone-based, spray-on coating simplifies application and improves protection for downstream assets and workers.
TGS Launches Advanced Imaging Centers for Petrobras
2025-01-21 - TGS' 4D technologies will provide enhanced subsurface clarity in basins offshore Brazil for Petrobras.