



iscover innovations for the next fracturing revolution
Profound scientific knowledge has catalyzed advancements in intelligent systems and applications for hydraulic fracturing. Industry professionals leading these innovations will present their findings Feb. 2-4 at the 2021 SPE Virtual Hydraulic Fracturing Technology Conference and Exhibition. The conference features a diverse portfolio of next-generation technologies, sustainable developments and best practices.
Fracture diagnostics sessions at this event will include a novel method and its application to define a maximum horizontal stress and stress path. Among other demonstrations are field applications of sealed wellbore pressure monitoring to evaluate completion effectiveness.
Through a focus on completion optimization, attendees will learn first-hand of a multidisciplinary approach for well spacing and treatment design using lateral pore pressure estimation and depletion modeling. Furthermore, multiple DFIT-FBA tests performed on a well pad at multiple points in a well for advanced treatment stage design and reservoir characterization will be explained.
With Argentina’s Vaca Muerta Formation seeing significant developmental breakthroughs, presentations will highlight early applications of miscodifying friction reducers for fracturing operations in addition to well spacing and simulation design optimization in the region.
Burns & McDonnell’s modular substation is designed to offer a scalable, flexible approach to meet short- and long-term production requirements. Quickly mobilized on skid-mounted equipment, the modular substation offers flexibility to scale up or down as needed as well as the mobility to move with production—all while reducing field construction time and improving construction safety.
With a reliable, cost-effective and environmentally friendly electrical solution in place, producers improve their ability to reduce costs of production and attract the investors and capital dollars needed to grow core business activities.

The demonstration consisted of collecting raw gas from a pipeline at the customer’s frac site, where it was then processed and cleansed using GTUIT’s mobile gas processing system. The gas was then transferred directly into Cat 3512 DGB U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final and Tier 2 engines. After the eight-day demonstration, the engines averaged consistent diesel displacement levels of 77%, with a peak displacement of 85%, which translated into lower emission levels and fuel cost savings compared to only operating the engines using diesel or transporting CNG or LNG to the site.
By utilizing GTUIT’s mobile processing systems and the Cat DGB engines, operators can achieve consistently high displacement levels, reduce fuel costs and operate efficiently. Additionally, using associated gas directly from a flare or gathering line is ideal because it generates fewer emissions and costs less than diesel fuel.

Many operators have formerly stored network drives full of “dark data” (e.g., PDFs or segmented CSV files) from fracturing operations, which doesn’t allow for easy lookbacks or analytics. Additional data streams, such as offset or wireline, can be comingled for a single operational snapshot and time series dataset. FracNet’s universal compatibility and customized acquisition tools ensure completions data are standardized, mapped and tagged right at the source. Stop spreadsheeting and start streaming.

NDT offers the dual perspective for savings, not only for the frac fluid design but 100% water reuse and those related benefits. Overall, the EUR for the well is optimized, allowing for revenue generation sooner, which provides increased capital for future exploration.

Completion sites have four to six different service providers collaborating to hydraulically fracture oil and gas wells. Each offers its own control system and data capture capabilities, but none of them are integrated to create the efficiencies that come from autonomous fracturing. SmartPAD connects these service providers (fracturing, wireline, wellhead, water storage, water transfer and sand storage) on one platform. This allows supervisors to optimize in real time by seeing Internet of Things sensor data in one place, and instance-based logic will have been used to detect the end of stage, signal to the wellhead provider to close the current wellhead, and then open the next wellhead. This removes the need for human intervention in the well-swap process.

Coretrax has developed ReLine MNS, which provides a single-trip solution with no shoe milling to clad and seal various wellbore integrity concerns with minimal loss of inner diameter (ID), while providing high burst and collapse ratings.
The cased-hole system is designed for deployment on jointed pipe and can cover long or short intervals from 30 ft to 7,000 ft. It can be configured to expand and seal across various ID restrictions in the wellbore, such as nipples or frac sleeves, even in high-pressure well scenarios. It creates a like-new wellbore in the cased-hole environment, whereby mechanical isolation then restores pressure integrity with minimal wellbore ID loss for the purpose of refracturing.

The fracturing equipment is used in harsh operating conditions and is moved regularly from site to site. However, standard medium-voltage (MV) drives enclosures are designed for fixed installation in an electrical room. The VACON 3000 kit from Danfoss allows system integrators and original equipment manufacturers to create a definite-purpose MV drive in a fit-for-purpose enclosure that is optimized for mobile equipment operating in harsh conditions.
The VACON 3000 kit includes liquid-cooled medium-voltage power conversion units, which make it easy to create an enclosed, even-sealed VFD. The heatsinks of the VACON 3000 kit are grounded, and this allows new “normal water” closed-loop cooling solutions, which increases uptime and requires less maintenance. The power conversion module has a rugged design, has no moving parts and is easy to handle.

With an array of highly sensitive nano-voltmeter receivers and a grounded dipole system laid out completely off the pad and directly over wellbore trajectories on surface, a direct measurement of frac slurry magnitude and direction is measured and displayed as a polygon taking shape over the stimulated rock area within 3 hours of the end of a stage. The technology is shown in a map birds-eye view to allow operators to make business-impacting adjustments on the well they are actually fracturing.
This technology addresses completions challenges and waste, including plug failures, extreme inter- and intra-well overlap into previously fractured stages, understimulated rock area and runaway fracture propagation toward parent wells, which lead to frac hits. Operators are able to be proactive with their completions and can improve on insufficient designs as they are realized.

During field trials, a multitude of plugs have been successfully set by DS MicroSet in several different wells by numerous service companies for multiple operating companies. Capable of up to 60,000 lb of shear force, the average force of the plugs that were set was about 30,000 lb. Plugs were set at measured depths ranging from 9,000 ft up to 20,000 ft, with true vertical depth surpassing 12,600 ft. Tested for up to 20k psi on the tool, the calculated hydrostatic pressure experienced during the trials exceeded 13.5K psi.

In the past, water-soluble surfactant-based wax dispersants have been frequently used to combat excessive wax deposition during fracturing. Polymer-based paraffin inhibitors, despite being more effective, however, have not been extensively deployed because they are insoluble in water and incompatible with commonly used frac additives.
Evonik Oil Additives has developed a novel type of paraffin inhibitor that is dispersible in water. This solution allows the product to be fully compatible with most frac fluids. By incorporating a paraffin inhibitor, wax deposition during the frac process can be mitigated, potentially enhancing oil recovery from liquids-rich shale reservoirs.
Fracture ID has developed a methodology for identifying depleted zones along a wellbore caused by production from offset wells, using a calculated in-situ pore pressure. Comparing these measured results with expected readings, the company can identify where induced or natural fractures have been drained of hydrocarbon. Using these results, operators are able to adjust their completions programs to minimize frac hits on offset wells.
Additionally, issues such as casing damage during completions can be directly related to areas of depletions along the wellbore. This knowledge proves invaluable to operators that modify completions practices to avoid costly remedial work and so increasing free cash flow. Every dollar spent on bringing back a well from being knocked offline due to frac hits or on mitigation of casing damage comes straight from the bottom line.

Once downhole, the PropCure coated proppant acts like a traditional curable resin-coated proppant. It provides all the same benefits of grain-to-grain bonding and keeps proppant in the fractures where it is intended to stay. Additionally, the PropCure coating has a tailored surface chemistry that alters the relative permeability of the proppant pack. Running this technology, even at a low concentration, can improve conductivity and reduce or eliminate the need for additional surfactants.
A Bakken operator stated that the PropCure coating resolved its sand flowback issues while increasing production by 200 bbl/d over its nearest offset.
With this new release, users will be able to fully manage who uses their communications at the rig site and what experience that consumer will have—whether they want to give a contractor priority on the network or limit how long they will be allowed to use their communications, or even block them from accessing it completely. Users will be able to leverage analytics to gain insight into their remote network operations, previously unheard of in the oil industry. This will empower remote communications management of users and assets fleet-wide from anywhere in the world.
The iNET RCS high-availability architecture uses multiple bandwidth paths and connectivity technologies to give customers uninterrupted service under harsh conditions and in challenging locations. With Wi-Fi reaching across the pad and extended range, it allows users to deploy Industrial Internet of Things, sensors or edge servers anywhere on the pad, which drives down costs and improves the safety of personnel on site.

The current problem in unconventional reservoirs is that the fluids being pumped create a rapid loss of fracture conductivity due to the softening of the fracture face. This softening increases the rate of proppant embedment. The net results are steep decline curves and less production on these wells.
EC Max bonds with the fracture face at the exact points where proppant embedment is most prone to occur but without altering mineral structures it encounters. It is designed to slow proppant embedment allowing fluid to migrate through the fracture network more efficiently.
Regain permeability results in the Wolfcamp Shale showed a 32% increase in permeability without breaker and 42% with breaker. In the Barrea sandstone, EC Max showed a 23% increase in permeability over FR without EC Max.
The new technology allows ClO2 generation at the required rate and concentration inside the main water transfer line. The new technology was trialed by Texide Solutions and delivered.
Texide stated, “We had no rig-up other than water transfer, no air locks, no special hoses and the equipment allowed fine-tuned control of ClO2 addition. We saved over $1,000 per job, while achieving zero bacterial counts for our customer with less potential for chemical exposure. [It was] another great innovation in delivering ClO2 to the frac tank or downhole safely.”

SUSTAIN is a biosurfactant-based green chemistry for hydraulic fracturing that outperforms many synthetic surfactants. It has the ability to penetrate into the smallest reservoir pores and mobilize more oil—improving initial flowback performance, increasing total EUR and also enhancing ESG profiles. Developed by Locus Bio-Energy Solutions, the recently launched technology is formulated using biosurfactants with multifunctional properties that require as little as 1/50th of the dosage rate of traditional completions surfactants, significantly lowering costs. SUSTAIN helps operators boost IP, reduce decline rates and increase EUR, which all work to improve the economics of unconventional wells—a must in today’s capital-challenged operating environment.

Once located and upon the onset of the hydrolysis process, the polymer particles transform into a high-viscosity gel within 2 to 3 hours at 250 F or within 24 hours at 200 F. As the polymer continues to hydrolyze, it finds the path of least resistance where it agglomerates and can effectively minimize fluid loss before fully hydrolyzing to aqueous lactic acid, a substance classified as Generally Recognized as Safe, in 8 to 10 hours at 250 F or 48 hours at 200 F and allows flowback.

OSP has created two qPCR packages that quantify the microbes responsible for H2S production. These data validate if sour production is the result of uncontrolled microbes coming from the frac source waters, and it can confirm the efficacy of biocides used the fracturing package. OSP supplies a sample bottle with preservative fluid in it, and clients simply top it up and send it back to them, with a request for the LifeCheck qPCR souring package. Results are emailed back.
This new souring package ensures consistency for multiple testing locations, covers the broadest reach of souring-related microbes and ensures economic options are available for acquiring this important information on source waters, frac biocide efficacy and the health of the well.
The LightningBOLT 2 plug was developed in response to a customer’s challenge of having another vendor’s dissolvable plugs skidding in the liner during stimulation operations. During field trials, run-in times were maximized for the LightningBOLT 2 plugs. After successful pressure tests, the plugs held and maintained stage isolation during stimulation operations.
These unique plugs provide oil and gas operators with improved operations and reduced risk that will ultimately result in lower cost operations.

Parker has active development programs underway including delay coatings for high-acidity fluids, faster degradation rates for low-temp freshwater and higher modulus metal composites with improved erosion and wear resistance enabling thinner cross-section plug components and smaller form factor designs.
Parker dissolvable alloys are available as high-tolerance balls, machined-to-print components or as raw cast billets up to 6 inches in diameter in prototype and production volumes.
In addition, Parker has developed degradable elastomer compounds for downhole applications. These compounds allow fully degradable tool designs and are specifically designed to degrade into flowable non-clogging particulates to leave the wellbore free for unimpeded production. Parker’s degradable elastomers are resilient rubber compounds available in either 80 or 90 Shore A hardness. These compounds have been proven to seal 10ksi pressure and degrade across an optimal temperature range of 130 F to 180 F, independent of fluid salinity. These compounds can be provided in common components such as packer elements, wiper fins, O-rings or custom made to print parts.
By using Reveal Energy Services’ ORCHID open interpretation platform that seamlessly integrates multiple datasets, an asset engineer updated a project daily and transferred it to a technical expert for analysis within two days of completing the pad. This step alone reduced the expert’s time by three weeks, and the diagnostic work was finished in less than one week.
With the ORCHID platform’s data value capture and discovery through interactive control of the spatial and temporal events, the operator is saving time and money by insourcing this work. The technical experts can now focus on data to implement the completion learnings immediately on subsequent pads. The asset engineers, with new data understanding, are offering insight into the two experts’ analyses.

Rolls-Royce’s MTU Hybrid E-Frac Power System is a combination of proven mission critical natural gas powered gensets and intelligent battery energy storage systems. Several challenges are addressed by delivering a scalable solution aimed at reducing emissions by up to 80% and power generation total cost of ownership by 58%, while facilitating a more efficient autonomous system. Electrification and hybrid systems enable the oil and gas industry to achieve ESG commitments and shift to a more sustainable business, less impacted by fluctuations in commodity prices.

Measurements of fracture complexity, conductivity, dimensions and more stream in real time to a user-friendly interface that is accessible by any device. Embedded AI-powered agents track the fracture system measurements and pinpoint to the type of stimulation inefficiency while highlighting the variables that need an adjustment (i.e., volume, rate or other).
The MWF quality control tool is designed to tackle understimulation in real time and provide critical downside protection. The tool holds a current track record of 8 boe/ft in additional production (six-month cumulative production data).



Unlike glutaraldehyde and glutaraldehyde-based formulations, Tolcide4Frac does not increase corrosion rates. It also works to dissolve FeS and Schmoo and is not inhibited by H2S. This gives it the ability to facilitate demulsification while still performing as a biocide. Tolcide4Frac protects the integrity of assets, while its HSE profile makes it the safer choice for protecting the environment and onsite personnel.
Tolcide4Frac is more thermostable than other in-class biocides and retains its efficacy in the reservoir while it follows the water front, providing post-frac souring control and in-situ control of blackwater.
Tolcide4Frac has proven to be compatible with all stimulation fluids, including friction reducers and oxidizing breakers, while delivering cost savings through asset protection and operational benefits.
- Pervasive connectivity due to merging IT and OT systems, introducing more avenues for devastating cyberattacks;
- Aging legacy computer systems that are not equipped to prevent malware, ransomware and other forms of modern cyberattacks, threatening day-to-day operations as well as causing large-scale disruptions; and
- Traditional signature-based defenses that rely on constant, manual updates to the list of known threat signatures and rapidly become outdated on isolated systems.
Customers demand reliability and will divest from businesses that cannot defend their infrastructure. Yet companies face physical, financial and legacy constraints in securing infrastructure. By adopting an AI-based solution, companies can address OT systems’ vulnerabilities.
SparkCognition’s DeepArmor Industrial is a scalable machine learning tool that protects OT systems, legacy assets and critical infrastructure from advanced zero-day cyber threats. As the first endpoint SCADA protection that specifically focuses on protecting legacy systems against various attack vectors, it meets the highest standards of North American Electric Reliability Corp.’s Critical Infrastructure Protection reporting and compliance standards.


Manazoline HS1 is a soy imidazoline designed for corrosion formulation that is superior to most other fatty acid imidazolines in terms of performance and stability. Salting out is reportedly improved versus conventional imidazoline.
Manazoline HSQ is a highly charged soy imidazoline quat that is water soluble. It replaces conventional imidazoline quats with several advantages.
ManaSurf SF is an 80% sulfated soybean oil that can be used in drilling lubricant formulation and as a replacement for sulfated castor oil in other oilfield applications.
Soybean oil has a compelling environmental story (available from United Soybean Council) that was a key factor in launching these research projects. Taking advantage of an enormous supply stream that can quickly adjust production to demand on any scale moved soy research to the top of Synalloy’s research priorities.
Since its introduction in 2019, Tendeka has conducted further work to define the performance envelope and improve pumpability of the sized swellable elastomer.
As sized swelling elastomer in aqueous slurry has a tendency to agglomerate, numerous surfactants were evaluated and the concentration optimized resulting in a uniformly dispersed, non-foaming aqueous suspension. Bench top testing demonstrated that the exceptionally high surface area results in relatively fast swell times and is being validated in an HP/HT test fixture.
Additional tests have confirmed that filling of perforations with non-swollen elastomer will generate an immediate pressure differential demonstrating diversion capability during the pumping process. Most recent testing has confirmed that the sized elastomer will be retained in high side perforations once swollen.
The logplot shows a horizontal tight sand gas condensate producer, completed with a non-cemented multistage ball-activated application. Stage separation was achieved by a dual hydraulic-activated packer. The results identified the presence of 22 active fractures, 17 were offset from flow ports and five could be aligned with the flow ports producing a unique signature covering a wide frequency range. The fracture distribution varied between stages with an average of three active fractures per stage.

Varel Energy Solutions’ (VES) Slipstream features a hybrid cutting structure. The roller cone drill bit utilizes tungsten carbide inserts on the outer rows for the tougher portions of the plugs and steel teeth on the inner rows to enable fast mill times.
VES is scheduled to release the newest generation of milling technology with SlipXtreme in early 2021—a design optimized for greater durability and performance while preserving the strength of the hybrid cutting structure. The bearing surface area has been increased to handle higher energy loads, and the seal location and compound has been modified to better resist wear and higher hole temperatures. In addition, the SlipXtreme is armed with VES’ maximum carburization process to treat the cone steel to mitigate erosion and improve steel life.

Once a task is automated, it can be continuously performed on every well and for every team, bringing agility to every operator. The platform has been used to create sealed wellbore pressure monitoring reports and real-time fracture-driven interaction alerts. It also can identify key events such as pressure changes that can serve as early warnings for potential screen-outs and other issues. Because the Well Data Labs automation platform is flexible, operators can scale their data analytics programs throughout the organization, accelerating data-driven innovation and decision-making.

With WellAware On Demand Chemical, a major pure-play operator in the Permian Basin was able to reduce freshwater consumption by 30% by introducing clean brine into their water gathering network. The chemical uses advances in edge compute, wireless networking and web dashboards to automate chemical injection pumps, provide real-time chemical visibility and improve chemical vendor accountability. WellAware On Demand Chemical continuously monitors water flow rates, adjusting chemical injection rates in real time to maintain precise chemical concentrations that protect critical frac water infrastructure. This solution works on most chemical pumps that inject scale inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, methanol, iron sulfide inhibitors or other specialty chemicals used to treat water management pipelines and vessels.

The company designed and implemented a new inlet device that almost eliminates oil carryover in the gas stream. CFD resulted in .02% oil carryover versus the typical 1% to 5% seen across the industry.
In a case study, Worthington’s advanced separation technology enabled an operator in the Delaware Basin to eliminate the need for excess equipment. In addition to the associated cost savings, this enabled consolidation of equipment onto a single skid—not only minimizing footprint but also simplifying field setup. No additional hookups were necessary for that well, just a single tie-in on the inlet and outlet. In all, the modular solution reduced footprint by 62%. The resulting design simplified the well site, lowered overall capex spend and still delivered the same processing throughput with less oil carryover.
In addition to the lift in production the microproppant has provided, it has found substantial immediate benefits by reducing the treating pressure as it is introduced (Figure 1). Because the material is very hard, it has been shown to abrade any near wellbore restrictions, which allows an increase in pump rate. This increase in pump rate shortens the time it takes to place a stage, which shortens the time it takes to complete a well, thus reducing the day rate charges. By increasing the pump rate, the fluid efficiency is also improved, which allows a larger SRV to be created with the same amount of fluid. An additional benefit of removing this near wellbore restriction is a reduction in the convergent flow excess pressure effects that occur as the flow in the fracture merges with the