In previous posts, we explained why horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing is needed in unconventional shale and tight-rock formations (here) and we presented an example of the drilling and casing program for a horizontal well (here). In this post, we will address how a horizontal well is...
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In this post we’ll present an example of the drilling program for a horizontal well in the Bakken formation in the North Dakota portion of the Williston Basin. The Bakken is one of the larger unconventional oil development areas in the US. Drilling designs differ by area and by company, and ev...
The term "unconventional" oil and gas refers to oil and gas produced in a manner different than the traditional (conventional) way. The traditional way, which we covered last week, is drilling vertical wells into subsurface structures/features identified on seismic ("prospe...
By now, almost everyone has heard the terms "conventional" and "unconventional" oil and gas. This week we will focus on the conventional/traditional method of oil and gas exploration, which involves searching for subsurface features in porous and permeable rock layers that may have trapped accumulat...
In order to produce oil and gas from a property, the producer must have legal rights to produce, called “mineral rights.” There are multiple forms of mineral rights ownership, and the form most-commonly used by oil and gas companies is to “lease” exploration and production rights from “mineral estat...
Oil and gas are molecules composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms and are thus called “hydrocarbons.” Hydrocarbons are flammable/combustible and can be used to make a variety of fuels, but they are also highly versatile for other uses such as the manufacture of plastics and a wide variety of other pet...
The world in general, and the U.S. in particular, have a lot of room for improvement in oil and gas consumption. However, modern life relies on oil, gas, and derived products in countless ways that mostly don't yet have suitable or scalable alternatives. You are relying on computer and telecomm...