A Tight Gas Sand Saga Adapting to High Density Population in High Density Drilling Areas
Scot A. Donato
Bill Barrett Corporation, Denver, CO
Exploration
and production of oil and gas resources in tight gas sand
areas presents some unique opportunities for operators. Reservoir
characteristics in tight gas sand areas typically require a tighter than normal
borehole density and increased infrastructure for efficient mineral extraction.
Many of these tight gas sand areas are in populated areas and residents with
severed mineral rights, which is common, typically prefer less rather than more
oil and gas activity and disturbance. Because of these issues, concerns related
to well pads, pipelines, view shed, noise, air emissions/odors, and ground-water
protection, are an ever increasing opportunity for new and
innovative
remedies.
Intensive pre-drilling planning efforts including the use of some
innovative
tools help to facilitate a more efficient project implementation and
make it more acceptable to neighbors.
Innovative
tools utilized in this process
include the use of aerial photography, light detection and ranging (LiDAR)
surveys with digital mapping systems, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
for delineating on the ground planning including, seismic data acquisition,
drilling, production, and compression facilities, and pipelines. The creative
use of existing technologies such as; multi-well pads, closed-loop mud systems,
multi-well production units, centralized compression/dehydration, large
diameter-low pressure pipelines and intensive reclamation methods help to reduce
on-the-ground impacts. In addition, the use of high-grade noise mufflers, vapor
combustors, recycled drilling fluids, and pre and post-activity ground-water
monitoring, can diminish many concerns of residents in the area.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90039©2005 AAPG Calgary, Alberta, June 16-19, 2005