top of page
Search
Writer's pictureCharles Wrightson

How to flatten GOR’s and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Per Barrel of Produced Hydrocarbons)

  • How efficiently operators use the reservoir pressure impacts the produced gas-oil-ratio, this in turn impacts how much waste gas is flared and vented.

  • DEEPROP® helps flatten GOR ratios by providing a more efficient flow path for fluids in the reservoir.

How efficiently operators use the reservoir pressure impacts their green-house-gas emissions. The lower the pressure efficiency, the higher the amount of CO₂e that is flared or vented per barrel of produced oil. DEEPROP® provides a more efficient flow path for the fluids in the reservoir, improving pressure efficiency, and flattens the gas-oil-ratio; reducing the amount of gas that is flared, or vented per barrel of produced oil.

 

When looking at how successful operating companies are at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. I propose using how much pollution is emitted per barrel of hydrocarbons produced; CO₂e/bbl. Most of operators’ greenhouse gas emissions are caused by flaring, venting, or from pneumatic production devices. This is often done on oil, or liquids rich gas, wells to dispose of the cheaper, less valuable gas.


The amount of waste gas that is produced is a function of the solution gas-oil-ratio: the amount of gas that is dissolved in the oil; and the amount of mobile, or free gas, that is produced alongside the oil. There is really nothing that can be done to prevent the production of solution gas, but how efficiently operators utilize the reservoir pressure can impact how much free gas is produced.


flatter GOR profiles have been observed in trial wells treated with DEEPROP® compared to the direct offsets, indicating more efficient use of the reservoir pressure. More efficient use of the reservoir pressure would increase the time it takes to reach the bubble point pressure in the formation; the longer it takes to reach the bubble point pressure in the formation, the longer it would take to reach the critical gas saturation, where free gas becomes mobile. This would reduce the gas-oil-ratio, and in-turn the greenhouse gas emissions per barrel because there would be less gas to flare or vent per barrel of produced fluid.


By using the reservoir pressure more efficiently to lower decline rates and increase the time it takes to mobilize free gas, significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions per barrel can be achieved. A gas-oil-ratio plot is presented to show what has been observed in trial wells pumped with DEEPROP®.

 

Woodford Tight Oil 9-Well Trial: 200-days, flat GOR profile

A comparison of several operator’s greenhouse gas emissions’ performance per barrel of hydrocarbons produced from 2015-2019 is illustrated below. There is a large difference in green-house-gas efficiency between operators. The data to create the chart was taken from the EPA’s website using company supplied emissions and production data.

 

CO₂e per Barrel Produced for several Permian Operators.

 

DEEPROP® allows operators to utilize the reservoir pressure more efficiently and lowers the producing gas-oil-ratios by slowing down how quickly free gas becomes mobile within the reservoir, this in turn reduces the amount of flaring and venting that is required for each well; lowering greenhouse gas emissions per barrel produced.


Combined with lower decline rates, that reduces the drilling and completions intensity required to maintain production, and lowers the amount of surface equipment required to produce each barrel. Using DEEPROP® can significantly improve green-house-gas efficiency per barrel of produced fluid.


If you would like to learn more about how DEEPROP® can be a solution for your company and lower your decline rates, please get in touch with me or send an email to info@deepropfrac.com


We’re also hosting a booth at URTeC, booth 4600 from July 26-28th! I would encourage you to stop by for a chat, we would love to meet you.


Thanks, and I will see you next week where I will explore how DEEPROP® provides a solution for one of the biggest challenges in the unconventional shale industry.





コメント


bottom of page