Waterless fracking disappoints in Ohio

15 May 15 | Author James Perkins

Results from one of the first waterless fracking wells in Ohio have proved disappointing, in a setback to the potential technology which could mitigate water consumption and sourcing issues in the shale industry.

EV Energy Partners has drilled a test well to pioneer waterless fracking, at a cost of $22 million in collaboration with eight other drilling companies.

The well in Tuscarawas County, eastern Ohio, was online for 90 days, but produced around half the amount of oil compared to neighbouring wells that use water based fracking.

"We clearly have work left to do in the volatile oil window to determine its economic potential, but are separately making progress working toward a drilling joint venture to provide the capital for drilling a portion of our operated Utica wet gas window acreage," EV Energy Partners chair John Walker said.

The cost of drilling was much higher than comparative sites; a typical Utica well costs anywhere between $6.5 million to $8 million to drill, around a third of that for the waterless test well.

EV Energy Partners director Ken Mariani explained that whilst the initial cost of drilling is much higher than a traditional well, as the flowback from the well is oil based rather than water it can be resold and could bring the actual cost closer to $15 million.

The nine companies that collaborated at the Tuscarawas County site used a fracking mix of three parts liquid butane and one part mineral oil as a substitute to water.

It has been suggested that in the Utica in particular, use of water in oily areas can increase risk and possibly cause damage to the site and reduce optimal well productivity.

Whilst the results from waterless fracking tests have proved to be disappointing thus far, EV Energy Partners intends to continue testing at the site and evaluating the quality of the shale at the site.

In addition, Chesapeake Energy is conducting its own waterless fracking pilot programme.

http://www.shaleenergyinsider.com/2015/05/15/waterless-fracking-disappoints-in-ohio/