Aqueous geochemistry techniques for water analysis have not traditionally been utilized in the petroleum industry, but with the rise of unconventional plays, unconventional analysis of the reservoir has become necessary. We can use total ion chemistry and isotope geochemistry to differentiate waters from different hydrocarbon bearing zones as one direct indicator of the zones accessed by induced fractures in horizontal wells. Additionally, using these chemical data, we can distinguish water injected during fracture stimulation (frac water) from subsurface waters in the production flow stream. Because frac water is easily distinguished from formation water, we are able to determine that water produced immediately on flowback is dominantly formation water. Frac water returns to the surface as periodic or episodic slugs of mixed formation and frac water, with the frac water contribution typically about 50% or less of the produced water load. Accordingly, the industry practice of monitoring frac water load produced at the surface is relevant only in terms of volume, not water composition, since most of the water produced initially during well flowback is formation water.
Skip Nav Destination
SPE/AAPG/SEG Unconventional Resources Technology Conference
August 25–27, 2014
Denver, Colorado, USA
ISBN:
978-1-61399-360-6
Uncharted Waters: What Can We Learn From Waters Produced From Horizontal Wells in the Permian Basin?
Matthew M. Laughland;
Matthew M. Laughland
Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc.
Search for other works by this author on:
David E. Nelson;
David E. Nelson
Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc.
Search for other works by this author on:
Paul Wilson;
Paul Wilson
Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc.
Search for other works by this author on:
Emily Eastridge
Emily Eastridge
Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc.
Search for other works by this author on:
Paper presented at the SPE/AAPG/SEG Unconventional Resources Technology Conference, Denver, Colorado, USA, August 2014.
Paper Number:
URTEC-1926712-MS
Published:
August 25 2014
Citation
Laughland, Matthew M., Nelson, David E., Wilson, Paul , and Emily Eastridge. "Uncharted Waters: What Can We Learn From Waters Produced From Horizontal Wells in the Permian Basin?." Paper presented at the SPE/AAPG/SEG Unconventional Resources Technology Conference, Denver, Colorado, USA, August 2014. doi: https://doi.org/10.15530/URTEC-2014-1926712
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Personal Account
You could not be signed in. Please check your username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.
Pay-Per-View Access
$28.00
Advertisement
44
Views
Advertisement
Suggested Reading
Advertisement