ATCE New Orleans

Since its first conference 89 years ago, the Society of Petroleum Engineers’ Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) has attracted more than a half million of the E&P industry’s greatest minds from more than 50 countries around the world.

Cordax LWT will be exhibiting at this year's ACTE.  Logging While Tripping is changing how operators are evaluating their horizontal wellbores.

Come see us at Booth 2912 and see how Cordax can help you "Get Horizontal"!

Completions – Fracture Proppant Selection

When a well is being fractured, the high pressures cause a network of openings, aka “fractures”, throughout the formation allowing channels for the hydrocarbons to be produced. After this pressure is released these channels must remain open in order to keep the hydrocarbon production flowing. Fracture Proppants are used to take the stress from the surrounding formation, holding the fractures open, as well as allow the hydrocarbons to pass through their mesh like structure makeup.

Proppant Attributes

Proppants are typically made up of a solid material, sand or ceramic. It is added to the fracture fluid, mainly slickwater, which has become the popular choice since 2012. As shown below there are different sizes or proppants used, each having their own pros and cons.

Typical Issues when using Proppants

Formation Stresses

• High stresses from the formations take a toll on the Fracture Proppants, especially in circumstances when a well is shut in and awaiting production. During this time Proppants can break down and create “fines” which cause blockage in the channels. Coulter & Wells (Journal of Petroleum Technology, June 1972) has done research stating “that just 5% fines can decrease fracture flow capacity by as much as 60%”.

Proppant flowback

• Pressures from the formation while hydrocarbons are being produced may cause the proppants to “flowback” into the borehole. If the flowback is great enough this may cause the channels to close up and loss of complete production from that network.

Coated Proppants

To increase the strength of the larger sized proppants, and to ensure less “Fines” are being created, the sands can be coated with resin. This resin allows the larger sized proppants to be used, making the channels bigger in the formation, and also allowing the hydrocarbons to still pass through the resin covered proppant. Also, the resin on the coated proppants allows them to form a bond in order to minimize the amount of proppant flowback from the channels.

As studies continue on the best practices for completions of a well, there are many components including breakdown pressures, fracture fluids and proppants used can affect the production. Parameters such as breakdown pressures can be adjusted using petrophysics analysis of open hole logs. Cordax's Logging While Tripping technique allows open hole data into the lateral in a much safe, cost effective method.

Underbalanced Drilling - Logging Solution

Underbalanced drilling is a procedure used to drill oil and gas wells where the pressure in the wellbore is kept lower than the fluid pressure in the formation being drilled. As the well is being drilled, formation fluid flows into the wellbore and up to the surface. This is the opposite of the usual situation, where the wellbore is kept at a pressure above the formation to prevent formation fluid entering the well. In such a conventional "overbalanced" well, the invasion of fluid is considered a kick, and if the well is not shut-in it can lead to a blowout, a dangerous situation. In underbalanced drilling, however, there is a "rotating head" at the surface - essentially a seal that diverts produced fluids to a separator while allowing the drill string to continue rotating.

Advantages of running the Underbalanced Drilling System:

• Eliminated formation damage from invasion

• Increased Rate of Penetration (ROP). With less pressure at the bottom of the wellbore, it is easier for the drill bit to cut and remove rock

• Reduction of loss circulation

• Differential sticking is eliminated

• Increases reservoir knowledge

Disadvantages of running the Underbalanced Drilling System:

• Increased drilling costs

• Possible wellbore stability problems

• Compatibility with conventional MWD systems

• Generally higher risk with more inherent problems

• Possible excessive borehole

There is a way to mitigate the risk when it comes to openhole logging in underbalanced drilling scenarios.  Cordax's Logging While Tripping (LWT) is a patented formation evaluation technique in which open hole logs are acquired safely in horizontal and hostile hole conditions that you would experience in underbalanced drilling scenarios.

Advancements in Completions: More Does Not Equal Better

Tight oil and Shale resource plays are growing rapidly throughout North America and Operators are currently experiencing +$10 Million price tags from spud to production in many of these emerging plays. High costs instantly raise the risk levels and the need for cost reduction and max production becomes even more obvious.

What is NEW?

Drilling: Many new techniques and technologies have been utilized including Geosteering, Stabilizers, and numerous drill bit advancements to help reach record lateral depths.

Completions: Game changing advancements are, and now case studies and papers are becoming available on how to use these advancements to the Operators highest value.

Current tight oil and shale completions:

• Fracture Stages - The more the better

  • High cost

  • May lead to fracturing undesirable zones

  • Advanced Fracture Fluids

    • Solvents to break down the hydrocarbons and make them portable

    • Proppants to hold fracture networks open to aid in permeability

    • High Pressures

Leading professionals in the oil and gas industry have initiated many of the current discussions that include case studies and research papers indicating that in many cases these completion methods can be altered in a way that reduces costs and increase production levels.

In order to alter the completion methods, data must be collected in the zone of interest. Methods such as open hole logging provides valuable information to make plausible adjustments to the typical costly completion methods. Logs can aid in making small and large scale adjustments to the completions such as:

• Precise placement of frac ports

• Fine-tuning breakdown pressures using formation brittleness

• Removal of unnecessary stages

With these methods saving costs and maximizing well production is seems like the industry is taking a step in the right direction with completions.

Leading professionals in the oil and gas industry have initiated many of the current discussions that include case studies and research papers indicating that in many cases these completion methods can be altered in a way that reduces costs and increase production levels.

In order to alter the completion methods, data must be collected in the zone of interest. Methods such as open hole logging provides valuable information to make plausible adjustments to the typical costly completion methods. Logs can aid in making small and large scale adjustments to the completions such as:

• Precise placement of frac ports

• Fine-tuning breakdown pressures using formation brittleness

• Removal of unnecessary stages

With these methods saving costs and maximizing well production is seems like the industry is taking a step in the right direction with completions.

Leading professionals in the oil and gas industry have initiated many of the current discussions that include case studies and research papers indicating that in many cases these completion methods can be altered in a way that reduces costs and increase production levels.

In order to alter the completion methods, data must be collected in the zone of interest. Methods such as open hole logging provides valuable information to make plausible adjustments to the typical costly completion methods. Logs can aid in making small and large scale adjustments to the completions such as:

• Precise placement of frac ports

• Fine-tuning breakdown pressures using formation brittleness

• Removal of unnecessary stages

With these methods saving costs and maximizing well production is seems like the industry is taking a step in the right direction with completions.

Leading professionals in the oil and gas industry have initiated many of the current discussions that include case studies and research papers indicating that in many cases these completion methods can be altered in a way that reduces costs and increase production levels.

In order to alter the completion methods, data must be collected in the zone of interest. Methods such as open hole logging provides valuable information to make plausible adjustments to the typical costly completion methods. Logs can aid in making small and large scale adjustments to the completions such as:

• Precise placement of frac ports

• Fine-tuning breakdown pressures using formation brittleness

• Removal of unnecessary stages

With these methods saving costs and maximizing well production is seems like the industry is taking a step in the right direction with completions.

Leading professionals in the oil and gas industry have initiated many of the current discussions that include case studies and research papers indicating that in many cases these completion methods can be altered in a way that reduces costs and increase production levels.

In order to alter the completion methods, data must be collected in the zone of interest. Methods such as open hole logging provides valuable information to make plausible adjustments to the typical costly completion methods. Logs can aid in making small and large scale adjustments to the completions such as:

• Precise placement of frac ports

• Fine-tuning breakdown pressures using formation brittleness

• Removal of unnecessary stages

With these methods saving costs and maximizing well production is seems like the industry is taking a step in the right direction with completions.

Leading professionals in the oil and gas industry have initiated many of the current discussions that include case studies and research papers indicating that in many cases these completion methods can be altered in a way that reduces costs and increase production levels.

In order to alter the completion methods, data must be collected in the zone of interest. Methods such as open hole logging provides valuable information to make plausible adjustments to the typical costly completion methods. Logs can aid in making small and large scale adjustments to the completions such as:

• Precise placement of frac ports

• Fine-tuning breakdown pressures using formation brittleness

• Removal of unnecessary stages

With these methods saving costs and maximizing well production is seems like the industry is taking a step in the right direction with completions.

Leading professionals in the oil and gas industry have initiated many of the current discussions that include case studies and research papers indicating that in many cases these completion methods can be altered in a way that reduces costs and increase production levels.

In order to alter the completion methods, data must be collected in the zone of interest. Methods such as open hole logging provides valuable information to make plausible adjustments to the typical costly completion methods. Logs can aid in making small and large scale adjustments to the completions such as:

• Precise placement of frac ports

• Fine-tuning breakdown pressures using formation brittleness

• Removal of unnecessary stages

With these methods saving costs and maximizing well production is seems like the industry is taking a step in the right direction with completions.

Leading professionals in the oil and gas industry have initiated many of the current discussions that include case studies and research papers indicating that in many cases these completion methods can be altered in a way that reduces costs and increase production levels.

In order to alter the completion methods, data must be collected in the zone of interest. Methods such as open hole logging provides valuable information to make plausible adjustments to the typical costly completion methods. Logs can aid in making small and large scale adjustments to the completions such as:

• Precise placement of frac ports

• Fine-tuning breakdown pressures using formation brittleness

• Removal of unnecessary stages

With these methods saving costs and maximizing well production is seems like the industry is taking a step in the right direction with completions.

Leading professionals in the oil and gas industry have initiated many of the current discussions that include case studies and research papers indicating that in many cases these completion methods can be altered in a way that reduces costs and increase production levels.

In order to alter the completion methods, data must be collected in the zone of interest. Methods such as open hole logging provides valuable information to make plausible adjustments to the typical costly completion methods. Logs can aid in making small and large scale adjustments to the completions such as:

• Precise placement of frac ports

• Fine-tuning breakdown pressures using formation brittleness

• Removal of unnecessary stages

With these methods saving costs and maximizing well production is seems like the industry is taking a step in the right direction with completions.

Leading professionals in the oil and gas industry have initiated many of the current discussions that include case studies and research papers indicating that in many cases these completion methods can be altered in a way that reduces costs and increase production levels.

In order to alter the completion methods, data must be collected in the zone of interest. Methods such as open hole logging provides valuable information to make plausible adjustments to the typical costly completion methods. Logs can aid in making small and large scale adjustments to the completions such as:

• Precise placement of frac ports

• Fine-tuning breakdown pressures using formation brittleness

• Removal of unnecessary stages

With these methods saving costs and maximizing well production is seems like the industry is taking a step in the right direction with completions.

Leading professionals in the oil and gas industry have initiated many of the current discussions that include case studies and research papers indicating that in many cases these completion methods can be altered in a way that reduces costs and increase production levels.

In order to alter the completion methods, data must be collected in the zone of interest. Methods such as open hole logging provides valuable information to make plausible adjustments to the typical costly completion methods. Logs can aid in making small and large scale adjustments to the completions such as:

• Precise placement of frac ports

• Fine-tuning breakdown pressures using formation brittleness

• Removal of unnecessary stages

With these methods saving costs and maximizing well production is seems like the industry is taking a step in the right direction with completions.

What is NEW?

Drilling: Many new techniques and technologies have been utilized including Geosteering, Stabilizers, and numerous drill bit advancements to help reach record lateral depths.

Completions: Game changing advancements are, and now case studies and papers are becoming available on how to use these advancements to the Operators highest value.

Current tight oil and shale completions:

• Fracture Stages - The more the better

  • High cost

  • May lead to fracturing undesirable zones

  • Advanced Fracture Fluids

    • Solvents to break down the hydrocarbons and make them portable

    • Proppants to hold fracture networks open to aid in permeability

    • High Pressures

Leading professionals in the oil and gas industry have initiated many of the current discussions that include case studies and research papers indicating that in many cases these completion methods can be altered in a way that reduces costs and increase production levels.

In order to alter the completion methods, data must be collected in the zone of interest. Methods such as open hole logging provides valuable information to make plausible adjustments to the typical costly completion methods. Logs can aid in making small and large scale adjustments to the completions such as:

• Precise placement of frac ports

• Fine-tuning breakdown pressures using formation brittleness

• Removal of unnecessary stages

With these methods saving costs and maximizing well production is seems like the industry is taking a step in the right direction with completions.

Cordax at GeoConvention 2013

Cordax is returning to the GeoConvention for 2013.

Using a unique and safe method, Cordax Logging While Tripping can provide triple combo formation evaluation through the lateral in order for you to get a full look at your HZ well.

• Prove up Reserves

• Design Completions Plans

• Maximize Well Production

Stop in at Booth #909!

2013 AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition

The theme for the 2013 AAPG is "Go Deep: Making the play with Geotechnology".  Appropriate given the state of the industry.  Petrophysical modeling is at the forefront of geotechnology due to the implications in almost every aspect of drilling and completing a new well.

Petrophysical modeling can help us get to TD faster and safer as well as optimize the completion of wells. Either of which can make plays more economic by lowering costs and increasing EUR. The best models come from large data sets where seismic, logs, core and Mini Fracs are all incorporated.  Unfortunately, not all data sets can have such a variety of detail due to cost restrictions or problematic wells. Utilizing a safer more cost effective method Cordax LWT (Logging While Tripping) offers a better way to get open hole log data in adverse logging conditions in any well bore geometry. If you can get the bit there we can get our tools there.

Cordax LWT will be at the 2013 AAPG convention.

Stop by and see us at Booth 1345.

2013 Williston Basin Petroleum Conference

This year's theme being "New Energy Horizons" focus is being put on evaluating and maximizing production from the formations throughout the Williston Basin. With horizontal drilling making these plays more economic, the services to evaluate them aid in achieving elevated production rates.

To properly evaluate a reservoir:

• On a large scale, combination of seismic data paired with downhole logs to achieve structure, bed thickness, and aerial extent.

• On a small scale, information such as porosity, saturation, mineralogy, and lithology.

More focus is being put into research on the size, spacing and type of fracture techniques. Using the large and small scale evaluation principles this is made possible.

Using a unique and safe method, Cordax Logging While Tripping can provide formation evaluation to final TD in order for you to get a full look at your HZ well.

Cordax is returning to the Williston Basin show: Booth #P45.

Understanding Resistivity Invasion Profiles

Petrophysical analysis plays an important role in the success of a company. To keep a broad topic simple I will speak in regards to the Invasion Profile caused by a resistivity tool. The petrophysicist’s knowledge, in terms of the reservoir and the migration of hydrocarbons, not only helps determine, and possibly increase, that well’s overall production, but supports future reserves in any adjacent wells that maybe in the plan for future. The invasion of drilling fluid into the rock plays an important role in this analysis.

What is Invasion?

• Due to the differential pressure in the borehole, drilling fluid is forced into the rock, causing invasion of this fluid into the reservoir fluid

• The distance the rock is “invaded” by the drilling fluid helps determine the invasion diameter, which makes up the invased zone of the rock

• “Invasion profiles” can be found using conductivity measurements, that provide different depth of investigations, to determine how far the drilling fluid has penetrated the rock

• To ensure the rocks true resistivity (Rt) is being measured the deep induction reading is typically used as the depth of investigation penetrates the furthest.

Why is Rt important?

Looking back at Archies Equation, to determine the water saturation of a formation, in addition to knowing porosity and formation water resistivity (typically found in catalogues) we also need to know the formation resistivity. Depending on how these curves react to one another helps determine what to use as your formation resistivity in this calculation.

In addition to resistivity, measurements such as porosity, natural gamma ray and spectral gamma ray are available using Cordax's unique, safe memory logging method. 

Viking – Millions of Recoverable Reserves at Shallow Depths

The Viking Formation has been recognized since 1918 as both a light oil and natural gas bearing sandstone. With the TVD depth of the Viking being the shallowest of the Light Oil plays, and new technology allowing for better recovery from tight formation, the activity level continues to ramp up.

Past Exploration (upper Viking):

• Over 8000 vertical wells drilled since the 1950s

• Production from the upper Viking sand estimated at two billion barrels

Present Exploration (lower Viking):

• Advancements in technology have revealed a lower, and thicker, Viking Sand estimated at another four billion barrels

• Horizontal drilling and multi-stage fracture techniques allow for lower costs when accessing the reserves

• As of recent, Viking wells have been drilled, completed and equip for under $1 million

• Quicker payouts quick due to low costs

With low operating costs in the Viking Sand it’s not a surprise to see major producers such as Devon Energy Corp., Husky Energy, Pengrowth Energy, as well as Penn West Exploration all seeking this asset. In addition to the majors, many juniors have stayed active as the risk to reward has proven to be in their favor.

Due to the low operating costs, to get a Viking well drilled and to the production stage, the Recycle Ratio for this play is very attractive and will continue to be this way, even with subpar oil and gas prices. Much like the Cardium formation, expect companies to increase their activity in the Viking and let this, almost guaranteed, cash flow in.

With Cordax's LWT system, Open hole logs can be obtained safely and cost effectively in any HZ well. This allows full optimization of these new completions techniques to get the most out of every well.

Things are Heating up in the Alberta Bakken

It is the same age as the Bakken in Saskatchewan and North Dakota, but is yet to be proven the identical resource.  The Alberta Bakken/Exshaw fairway is bound by the Rocky Mountain Thrust Belt to the West, Sweetgrass Arch to the East and continues South into Montana.

This unconventional reservoir is overpressured, low permeability, and mixed lithology.  Early vertical wells were looking at the mulit-zone potential.  The Exshaw in the area had oil stained cuttings and when Drill Stem Tested recovered clean oil.  These wells also found the localized sweet spots with pay sections over 25m thick.  Faulting has created the thicker sweet spots, but more important are the associated natural fractures as they are the conduit for higher production rates.

Keys to success in this play will be:

• Identifying extensional faults

• Drilling near structure to increase probability of natural fractures

• Effective completion strategies

Once drilled using data from the horizontal, well logs and gas detector to:

• Identify the natural fracture network    

• Find the brittle or ductile areas

• Tailor the completion program

With the recent success of the Three Forks formation in the Williston Basin, more activity is forecast for the Exshaw / Alberta Bakken.