MURRAY HILL and NEW PROVIDENCE, N.J., Nov. 7, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Linde North America, a member of The Linde Group, a world-leading gases and engineering company, today announced that Linde technology specialist Robin Weir will demonstrate the value of using energized solutions for hydraulic fracturing in the extraction of hydrocarbons from unconventional reservoirs at the 2011 World Shale Gas Conference. Weir will show how energized solutions incorporating nitrogen or carbon dioxide can increase the overall productivity of wells while also reducing the water needed for the fracturing process. Linde has decades of experience with the successful application of energized solutions in the production of hydrocarbons from unconventional sources such as shale.
The World Shale Gas Conference is the premier global networking forum for the shale gas industry. Robin Weir, the oil & gas technology manager for Linde's Energy Solutions group in North America, will present "Oil & Gas Services Applications for CO2 and N2…An Outsider's Perspective," at the Conference's Technical Forum on November 9, 2011 at 11:35 a.m. central.
"The World Shale Gas Conference is the ideal venue to highlight the many situations where the use of energized solutions as part of the fracturing process can provide important advantages to shale gas producers," notes Robin Weir. "While it is understandable that some producers focus on minimizing near-term costs, decades of data and experience show that the potential initial expense of energized gas fracturing is easily offset by the increase in overall productivity that results, in addition to energized fracturing's reduced water needs. We welcome this opportunity to discuss the advantages of using energized fluids with our technical colleagues at this exciting time when shale gas is being widely pursued as a major new source of cleaner energy."
In her presentation, Weir demonstrates how the use of energized fluids in the production of hydrocarbons from unconventional reservoirs such as tight gas formations and shale may be advantageous in a variety of situations. These include depleted, or water sensitive formations; when producers encounter poor water flowback or blocking (high fluid retention); and for enhanced mobility of more viscous hydrocarbons around the wellbore. The addition of highly soluble carbon dioxide gas is ideal to provide energy to aqueous solutions to facilitate flowback, but when nitrogen gas is more readily available, additional measures are available for engineers to use to ensure that the energized solutions adequately penetrate the invaded zone where extraction occurs.
Weir emphasizes that the variability inherent in unconventional reservoirs requires tailoring stimulation solutions to the unique circumstances of the site in order to optimize well productivity. Key factors include maximizing Expected Ultimate Recovery (EUR) and the lifetime potential recovery of the well; ensuring effective production occurs sooner rather than later; and minimizing reservoir damage, needed material and labor inputs, and total fracturing costs. She also recommends the use of mini-test fracturings, when possible, to allow calibration and optimization of the operational design.
Energized solutions can add value at every stage of treatment, but are essential for refracturing operations, where they can overcome low pressure and capillary forces and enhance the mobility of more viscous hydrocarbons. Energized refracturing has been successful in a wide variety of fields and basins.
"The huge increase in shale gas activity has brought many new operators into the field, and my goal in this presentation is to introduce our new colleagues to the expertise developed over the years on how and when use of energized solutions can provide excellent economic and environmental returns," adds Weir. "Energized solutions currently are estimated to comprise about one-third of all fracturing operations in North America, and we believe that the data clearly demonstrate the benefits of using energized fracturing in a variety of situations. Reported results indicate that well-managed energized fluid fracturing has the potential to achieve significantly more gas recovery than non-energized approaches, at the same time that it makes production in water-restricted locations more feasible."
The 2011 World Shale Gas Conference & Exhibition, the premier global networking forum for the shale gas industry, is being held in Houston, Texas from November 7-11, 2011. Co-sponsored by the International Gas Union (IGU) and co-hosted by the American Gas Association (AGA), the annual World Shale Gas Conference brings together industry, government and environmental experts to explore every aspect of the global shale gas market. For more information, visit www.worldshalegas.org/.
The Linde Group is a world-leading gases and engineering company with around 50,000 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2010 financial year, it achieved sales of EUR 12.9 billion (USD 17.9 billion). The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards long-term profitable growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services.
Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.
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