RE:RE:Will we get back to $50.37 - Year High?
oilandgasmick wrote: I think USA production is being constrained because of the decline in "sweet spots" which characterize this type of reservoir.
When you frack a shale it has to be a fairly high "silica" content (as opposed to clay rich minerals) or the energy of the frac will not be a horizontal propogation-- but rather a vertical one.
The energy from the frac has to go somewhere so if it can't propogate in a horizontal direction then it will move in a vertical plane and "break" uphole and in the process destroy casing, coiled tubing etc. and other downhole equipment that is present.
In more extreme cases, vertical propogation will break uphole far enough to contaminate aquifers that are the source of drinking water for farmers/communities etc. This is particularly true about shallow aquifers that have low saline content--they are literally "blue gold" for the communities.
You never hear much about this type of risk from those who rage on about the "evils" of oil sand or heavy oil production which do not rely on this fracking risk.
I'm amazed that this risk is rarely discussed in the media but if you get a tailings pond where some birds have died then CNN runs it as the lead story.
And of course with the high decline rate of shale frack production/wells its like a hamster on a tread mill. You have to keep up a steady pace and eventually it grows tired and the financing regarding declining fortunes starts to decline as well. Again, this is rarely discussed even in technical journals because the fracking industry has basically been given a green light while heavy oil production is villified in the MSM.
When you frack a shale it has to be a fairly high "silica" content (as opposed to clay rich minerals) or the energy of the frac will not be a horizontal propogation-- but rather a vertical one.
The energy from the frac has to go somewhere so if it can't propogate in a horizontal direction then it will move in a vertical plane and "break" uphole and in the process destroy casing, coiled tubing etc. and other downhole equipment that is present. oilandgasmick, i'm curious of your claim highlighted in green. I never came across that in my training of fracking. I would like to learn about that if you can provide link to research paper, journal, or studies pertaining to your statement. If not, i presume it's just an old wives tale similar to saying tornado prefer hitting trailer home park than over other area
I'm not saying there won't be any fractures in horizontal orientation but overall shale oil/gas fracs oriented in vertical direction, that's why they do multi stage fracking in shale oil/gas wells, even in Hz shale oil wells with higher silica content. 
here is photo of a very good quality (high silca) shale oil rock. If the fracks only radiate horizontally from the wellbore casing, wouldn't we miss out accessing the top and bottom layers of the oil bearing section of the overall net pay? 
Here is a photo of a poor quality (high clay content) shale oil. It's make little difference what direction the fracks orientate as long as you frack the hell out of it.
