The shale industry’s newest technique: refracking
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Some oil and gas companies are using wells that were sunk several years ago by “refracking” them, according to Reuters.
Diverting agents, which are small plastic balls, are pumped into already-fracked wells with water. The diverting agents are supposed to block cracks with small amounts of pressure so that cracks with high amounts of pressure are left open for refracking.
Companies like Encana Corp. spent about $12 million on a newly-drilled well, whereas refracking an existing well cost around $1 million in Louisiana’s Haynesville shale. Drillers in North Dakota’s Bakken shale have seen large returns.
Just as with fracking, though, refracking places stress on water supplies, especially in areas experiencing drought.
Via: Reuters > Refracking brings ‘vintage’ oil and gas wells to life
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.