Current Issue Contents - April

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As America’s independent operators build momentum in sync with the economic rebound under way, improving recovery rates from infill locations in horizontal resource plays is paramount. The industry continues to gain crucial insights into the complicated interactions that often occur between parent and child wells, including production impacts on parent wells after stimulating new infill wells. April’s cover story details the lessons learned from an integrated reservoir and fracturing simulation study conducted by Hess Corp. in the Bakken. The Frac Tech section also takes an in-depth look at new technologies and techniques that are improving frac fleet run times and performance, while exploring new tools designed to streamline hydraulic fracturing operations. The issue opens with Capital Crews, assessing the state of affairs in financial markets, and sharing observations from capital providers that are focused on helping operators fund increased activity in the upstream and midstream space. Closing April’s special reports is the Fluids Chemistry section, which examines the role artificial intelligence will play in fluid engineers’ efforts to optimize drilling and completion fluids for specific wells, as well as green solutions to tough offshore demands. Industry news includes an Official Issues Update for the Texas Alliance. Cover design by Amanda DeMoss.

FRAC TECH

• COVER STORY: To better understand complex interwell relationships and cross-well communication, Hess Corp. used a fully integrated hydraulic fracturing and reservoir simulator to model interactions between a horizontal parent and two vertical child wells completed in the Middle Bakken formation. The high-quality dataset included microseismic depletion delineation data and multiple diagnostic fracture injection tests. The results help make sense of diverse parent/child well observations, including a production uplift in the parent well after fracturing one of the child wells. The study also sheds new light on key issues such as effective frac length, frac hits’ impact on parent well production and proppant distribution. | by Craig Cipolla, Garrett Fowler and Mark McClure
• Refined Processes, Clever Innovations Boost Completion Efficiency | by Colter Cookson
  With many of 2020’s innovations moving from the drawing board and laboratory to the field, producers find themselves with an expanded toolkit as they get back to work.

SPECIAL PROFILE

• Manufacturing Representatives Affirm Smart Energy Policy, Ally With Industry | Special Q&A with Ryan Ullman and Rachel Jones
  A new presidential administration got off to an aggressive start that many oil and gas industry representatives and their manufacturing sector allies deemed counterproductive, so AOGR welcomes to its pages the Independent Petroleum Association of America’s Ryan Ullman, who sat down for a conversation with the National Association of Manufacturers’ Rachel Jones.

CAPITAL CREWS

• Private Equity, Structured Debt Provide Capital Options for Independents | by Gregory D.L. Morris
  Analysis suggests the appetite to invest in and finance oil and gas projects remains, reserve-based lending lives on and private equity is not going anywhere. Some of the industry’s top capital providers share their insights on the outlook for oil and gas investments.

FLUIDS CHEMISTRY

• Automation And New Fluid Systems Reshape Fluids Selection | by Colter Cookson
  Automation is only one of many tools drilling and completion fluid providers are deploying to deliver more consistent and cost-effective performance.

NEWS

• In the Courts: Federal appeals court upholds FERC’s Northern Access certification; Ruling tells N.C. regulators to reconsider rejection of MVP extension; Federal judge halts leasing in Wayne National Forest; Pennsylvania Supreme Court nixes antitrust suit against producer
• State Legislative: Utah extends tax credits for natural gas vehicles
• Association News: TIPRO, TNG join forces 
• Acquisitions, Divestitures and Deals: Pioneer obtains DoublePoint Energy; Chevron buys Noble Midstream; Tall Oak Midstream II acquires Redcliff; Diamondback completes QEP buy; Peregrine Energy acquires West Virginia royalties; LOLA obtains Pennsylvania producer
• Service Sector: Oil field service hiring jumps in March
• Energy Survey: Dallas Fed sees activity on the upswing
• Industry Op-Ed: Appalachian associations warn Biden against overreach

OFFICIAL ISSUES UPDATE

• Texas Alliance: A new generation assumes association’s leadership

COLUMNS

• Tech Connections
• Washington Watch