Frac Fluid Flashcards
How is water allocated for fracking?
In Alberta, industry operators are required to specify the amount of water to be used based on present and reasonable need.
Each request requires an operator to apply for a license from the AER,
which is reviewed for its potential impacts on other water users and on the aquatic environment, among other considerations.
What is fracking?
Fracking takes place after the well has been drilled, cased and cemented. Fracking is a process that uses fluid to stimulate the flow of oil and natural gas to the surface of the well.
How long does fracking take?
the fracking process will take 3 to 4 days per well
There are 5 basic steps. What is the first?
Water, proppant (frac sand) and chemicals are transported and stored at the wellsite. Frac equipment arrives and is set up.
What is Step 2 in Fracking?
Fracking Fluid Stage
A. Frac fLUID is mixed onsite and PUMPED into the well at a pressure high enough to create small cracks (few mm) in the targeted rock formation (deep below the surface.)
B. Once adequate fracturing occurs, pumps are shut down, the pressure is reduced and the cracks begin to close. BUT - The frac sand “props” open the fractures to allow the OIL OR NATURAL GAS TO FLOW INTO THE WELL.
C. Fracking typically starts at the toe, or end of the horizontal leg, and works back to the vertical part of the well. The process is referred to as multi-stage hydraulic fracturing. Commonly it takes an average of 10 to 15 stages to ensure adequate coverage of the reservoir to maximize the recovery of the oil or gas it contains. The number of stages depends on the lateral length of the well.
Step three?
Completing the planned stages usually takes about 3 to 4 days.
Then fracking equipment is removed from the wellsite and production equipment is installed.
Now oil or natural gas will be able to flow from the well.
Stage 4
Initially, the oil or gas is allowed to flow from the well along with the majority of frac fluid, referred to as flowback fluid.
The flowback fluid is separated from the NG / OIL and stored at the wellsite.
recovered flowback fluid is either reused for another well
or disposed in government-approved facilities.
Operators must track flowback fluid volumes and report them to regulators.
Frac Fluid
Frac Fluid = Base Fluid (90%) +? (9.5%) + Additives (0.5%)
Proppant
Proppant
commonly pure silica ?, but can also be resin-coated sand or ? beads
sand
ceramic
? is the real-time monitoring of the induced seismicity that occurs during fracking.
Micro-seismic monitoring
Micro-seismic monitoring creates an image of each ?? so that the operator can be sure that the fracking process is occurring as ? within the targeted rock formation.
frac stage
intended
The amount of emissions emitted during the 3-4 day fracking phase of a well’s lifecycle is relatively ?. The sources for emissions during fracking operations include:
Diesel-powered trucks and fracking ?
Gases emitted from frac ?
Silica dust from frac ?
Flowback ? handling
small
equipment
fluid
sand
fluid
Fracking Explained
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a proven and highly-regulated technique that has been used by oil and gas companies for over ? years.
60
Fracking is a carefully-designed process that considers many conditions prior to initiating the treatment, including the following:
Type of rock in the formation
Depth of the well
Downhole temperature
About 90.0% of the frac fluid mixture is water and 9.5% is sand. The remaining 0.5% consists of chemical additives. The additives are compounds we ? ? ? in common food additives, household cleansers and automotive antifreeze.
encounter every day
