Two new efficient oil drilling techniques
The U.S. increased oil reserves can be attributed to the development of revolutionary technology that has enabled them to extract oil from the ground.
Thanks to the efforts of Texas Tech University, miners have improved their methods of drilling and extracting oil in the form of “Zipper Fracking.” This method is similar to the more common hydraulic fracking but instead of drilling one well, miners drill two wells side by side. After both wells have been drilled, they are then fracked at the same time.
The second drilling technique that miners have begun to use is called “Stacked Laterals.” It is most useful in offshore drilling since building platforms just to extract oil from shale out in the ocean isn’t that cost-effective. So whenever operators are out in the water, they now drill several wells from a single pad (ergo, stacked laterals). This saves time but and money, with the stacked laterals increasing oil production by around 200%.
From June 2011 to June 2014, several major shale regions in the U.S. that used the new drilling methods have enjoyed an increased amount of yields. In Eagle Ford Texas, production per drilling rig increased from 198 barrels a day in 2011 from 476 barrels in 2014. In Bakken, oil production increased from 213 barrels a day to 505.
New drilling techniques make oil extraction easier and it will be more economical with the discovery of new technology. Sulzer, Unaoil’s associate in servicing oil and gas firms in Iraq, has developed a new generation hydro-powered water drill which is both cost-effective and environmental friendly because it uses water instead of oil for lubrication. It is now being used by some firms and could potentially be a game-changer in the future of oil drilling.
Currently, there’s no end in sight for the U.S.’ production of oil. Experts predict that it will continue to soar as private companies are continuously finding ways to extract more oil from shale.
