induced seismicity

With millions of wells having been drilled in the US since the beginning of the oil age, the land is pocked with old, unused wellbores. For most, repurposing is a pipe dream. Plugging is the best option.

Disposal wells remain the lowest-cost solution for produced water, but concerns over seismicity and long-term sustainability are accelerating interest in alternatives.

This guest editorial from the Center for Injection and Seismicity Research (CISR) at The University of Texas at Austin details the emerging risks posed by injection in Texas and what steps might be taken to mitigate them.

Findings from two new SPE papers argue that the tight-rock sector needs to rethink longstanding assumptions about how hydraulic fractures form underground.

Ongoing seismicity concerns and orphan well risks are pushing operators and regulators to explore alternatives for managing produced water.

The Texas Railroad Commission has tightened its guidelines on the permitting of disposal wells in the Permian Basin.

At SPE’s Permian Basin Energy Conference, operators shared behind-the-scenes details on innovations such as drilling horseshoe wells and trimulfrac completions along with in-basin challenges such as handling produced water.

A series of temblors in the region has been linked to oil and gas extraction processes.

A seismic prediction model is developed and presented in a case study to simulate the magnitude and timing of triggered seismic events with the intent to manage and mitigate environmental impacts resulting from induced seismicity during subsurface development activities.

The Permian’s produced-water challenge presents an opportunity for innovation to pave the way toward a more sustainable future for the industry.