refracturing

A challenging commodity price environment has forced operators to seek methods for sharply lowering recovery cost per barrel of oil equivalent (BOE) in unconventional plays.

Although refracturing is a topic that has gained a lot of interest, many shale producers have been sitting on the sidelines because early results did not justify the spending

Enventure Global Technology is working to convince operators that its solid expandable steel liners perform better than chemical diverter agents for refracturing operations. Its technology is called the ESeal ReFrac Liner.

One approach to refracturing involves the use of mechanical diverters such as perforation balls and rock salts, which may be useful for one stage; however, cessation of pumping operations results in these diverters falling out of the perforations or dissolving.

As shale operators look for ways to survive amid the current downturn in oil prices, accelerating the refracturing of older horizontal wells is turning into one of the most attractive options.

Refracturing older unconventional wells is likely to reward those willing to investigate the reasons why production declines and what can be done to restore it, according to George King, distinguished engineering adviser at Apache Corp.

Some operators are returning to their North American mature unconventional shale wells to refracture, or restimulate, the rock to accelerate production and enhance ultimate recoveries.