As hydraulic fracturing grows in practice across the United States, this unique process for accessing oil and natural gas trapped deep within the earth continues to be largely misunderstood. Those who don’t understand the process may, in fact, falsely believe it cannot be performed safely. The reality is when fracking, as it’s called, is performed responsibly, safety does go along with the proposition.
When fracking operations are handled with safety as the No. 1 priority, these measures are all part of the proposition:
• Well stability will be assured – Fracturing is a process that isn’t meant to be performed during a drilling operation. Rather, a well is constructed and its integrity is confirmed before the fracturing process takes place. This protects the process, people and the environment.
• Fracturing doesn’t take much time – Once a well is constructed and its integrity is confirmed, fracturing only takes place over a period of 5 to 10 days. Once the deposit is reached, a well may have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years.
• The groundwater is protected – The actual fracking process happens thousands of feet below aquifers that supply groundwater. That means when the process is performed properly, potable water is simply not impacted.
• Wells are set to protect groundwater – When sites are explored for fracturing operations, they are chosen and designed in a way that is meant to protect the groundwater. This is a top concern of reputable, responsible oil companies.
There are more than 1 million hydraulically fractured wells in the United States alone. The process has been used since the 1940s with advancements made in recent years to enhance the safety and environmental friendliness of the process. The simple truth is that fracturing is a safe way to access natural resources, but the process must be handled responsibly from the very start to ensure a positive outcome.
There’s more to pulling precious resources like oil, natural gas and even water from the earth. While drilling rigs do the heavy lifting, so to say, they’re not enough to get the pumping process rolling in a fashion that will deliver a steady flow. To ensure proper, safe and environmentally sound production, an oilfield fluid system may also be required, and generally is.
Oilfield fluids are used for a variety of reasons and often throughout the production process. At the beginning of an operation, an oilfield fluid system may be required to aid in the initial drilling of boreholes into the earth’s surface. They are frequently used to assist with drilling natural gas and oil and on exploration rigs. Fluids are also used to aid in the creation of simpler boreholes, such as those meant for freshwater production.
There are three main types of oilfield fluid systems, often called drilling muds. They are:
• Water-based – This type of mud can be dispersed and non-dispersed
• Non-aqueous muds – They are often oil-based
• Gaseous – This type of mud has one of a wide range of gases included in its mix
Oilfield fluid systems serve a variety of key functions that assist in production, make drilling safer and aid in sealing off wells no longer in use. Functions for oilfield fluids range from control corrosion and helping remove cuttings from a well to aiding in wellbore stability and minimizing environmental impacts.
The precise oilfield fluid system being used at a well will depend greatly on its stage of production and the type of resource being pulled from the earth. Different fluids have different jobs so a variety of compounds may be used over the course of an operation. These additives, however, are essential for enabling safe operations. They are designed by oilfield chemical companies to do their jobs with as little environmental impact as possible.
Hydraulic fracturing companies have been around since the late 180ss, but only in recent years has this particular drilling method really come into its own. Providing a way to access rich deposits of oil and natural gas buried deep within the earth, this rapidly expanding practice is surrounded by a number of misconceptions. There are some very good reasons why hydraulic fracturing is growing in practice in America and in other countries across the globe.
Unlike straight well or oil drilling where a deposit is readily accessible, hydraulic fracturing is designed to break apart shale formations where rich deposits are found. Shale formations are found in locations where traditional oilfield operations, for example, might not be feasible. States, such as North Dakota, for example, have developed a booming industry thanks to this unique process. Hydraulic fracturing involves drilling into the earth to access shale deposits. These deposits are then fractured using water, sand and oilfield chemicals. The fracturing enables production companies to access oil or natural gas trapped within the shale itself.
Hydraulic fracturing has grown in popularity in recent years for a few critical reasons. They include:
• Better access to precious, natural resources – Fracturing enables oil and gas companies to open up new production zones to provide fuel for consumers domestically while potentially lessening the reliance on foreign sources.
• Environmental impacts – The hydraulic fracturing process has witnessed great environmental advances in its technology in recent years. These have lessened the impacts on the environment while also enabling people to access cleaner burning natural gas to lower reliance on coal.
• Economic impacts – Fracturing operations have been credited with greatly boosting local and state economies. These operations open up a tremendous amount of high-paying jobs while pumping money into local economies.
As the need for oil and natural gas continues to rise, hydraulic fracturing offers an option for accessing these resources. Many states across the country are seeing the benefits currently while others are working on legislation to make this type of drilling possible.
As states across America approve the use of hydraulic fracturing to enable them to pull away from reliance on coal-burning power plants in favor of the greener energy provided by natural gas, more people are becoming familiar with this process. What many don’t understand, however, is why hydraulic fracturing chemicals are used and why oilfield chemical companies are working virtually around the clock to make reliance on them a much greener prospect in and of itself.
Hydraulic fracturing is a process by which oil and gas companies access resources trapped within the earth. The process typically involves drilling into shale formations in the ground and creating a well. This process itself calls for the use of chemicals to create the well itself and protect nearby resources, such as underground water supplies, from the pumping activity that will soon follow. Once a well is safely put into place, fracking involves pumping water, sand and a small amount of chemicals into the rock itself. The aim is to break up a formation, providing access to natural gas or oil found within.
Once the resource is accessed, the pumping process begins. This also involves the use of some chemicals to promote flow, protect other resources and close off deposits that have reached their potential, among other uses.
While chemicals are used in the hydraulic fracturing process, the overall exposure is limited as much as possible. Oilfield chemical companies have also developed a number of agents that are green by design. Replacing potentially harmful agents with natural compounds that serve the same function, the industry has been working hard to lower its overall impact on the environment. As the benefits of the fracturing process become more widely known, the industry is committed to keeping its impacts at a minimum so people can enjoy greater access to much needed natural resources, such as cleaner-burning natural gas.
Construction crews that are called out to create finished products made of cement understand that different materials are required for different job specifications. After all, a cement installation that involves a standard outdoor environment will call for slightly different materials than one that involves temperatures that rise high into the 100s on most occasions. This is where the art of “cementing” comes in.
Cementing involves the application of different additives into the cement slurry to ensure a composition that can withstand the anticipated conditions. The makeup of a slurry for sub-zero temperatures, for example, will be slightly different than one created for normal outdoor conditions. To ensure reliability, performance and durability, cement professionals use additives in their slurries to add the proper strengthening for the anticipated conditions. It takes time and expertise to understand what chemicals are best suited for certain conditions. This is why cement installers often rely on those with chemical expertise to help ensure their jobs withstand the test of time.
Some of the additives that may be called for to ensure proper installation include:
• Accelerators – This type of additive is meant to reduce the thickening time of cement and can help speed up jobs under certain conditions.
• Bonding agents – These are used to improve the formation of cement, such as when the finished mix is meant to cement pipe bonds.
• Expansive agents – These are used to expand the cement in order to improve bonding while preventing gas migration.
• Retarders – These are used to increase the thickening time of cement.
While standard cement mixtures can deliver performance under normal conditions, a stronger mix is often needed for specialty jobs. This is why it pays to call on professionals who not only understand how to install and lay cement, but also how to ensure the right blend is put in place for the job in question. Expertise in additives and what conditions call for certain mixtures is critical for job performance. Quality chemical additives, too, are essential for delivering the desired outcome.
