URTeC

Friction reducers play multiple critical roles in fracturing. A challenge in selecting the best one for the job is the growing evidence that performance varies, but objective performance measurements are lacking.

The obsession with better hydraulic fracturing has steadily pushed on shale production in year one, but the decline remains steep. Chemistry could help explain, and perhaps extend, the short productive life of these wells.

Incremental gains are not always celebrated, but as two of the biggest oil producers in the US show, they nonetheless can net unrealized savings and new efficiencies.

Occidental Petroleum is planning a carbon-intensive future with revenues from oil expected to be put toward pulling carbon dioxide out of the air.

Airborne drones with magnetometers have worked well in trials and are ready for more widespread use, potentially revealing thousands of previously unknown wells.

When a plug gets stuck in a well, consider the cause. Often stuck fracturing tools are a warning sign of casing trouble. Companies that have investigated plug problems have been surprised by the findings.

Advanced machine-learning methods combined with aspects of game theory are helping operators understand the drivers of water production and improve forecasting and economics in unconventional basins.

Crude oil and natural gas prices may recover moving into 2021, albeit at different rates brought on by a variety of market dynamics. Geopolitics and the potential for another wave of COVID-19 cases and resulting lockdowns still pose a threat to the industry.

Looking to market your technology? Engage partners, pursue all paths, and learn to catch smaller fish.

Black Mountain executives outlined the key criteria they used to determine why Western Australia was a prime location for private-equity investment when looking at international unconventional plays.