The Bakken Magazine - June 2015 - Water and Oilfield Waste

JUNE 2015

All For Water Why gathering, storage and disposal efforts progress Page 28

Plus

Skid-Mounted Oil Recovery System Page 38

AND

Recycling Technology for Drill Cuttings Arrives Page 22

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CONTENTS

JUNE 2015

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 6

Pg 28

LOGISTICS

Managing Bakken Water Needs

Low oil prices have put a spotlight on water management firms and their abilities to handle, store, recycle and service oilfield water issues.

BY EMILY AASAND

Pg 38

PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGY

The New Name In Oil Recovery

The combination of off-shore tech with tried-and-true pump equipment could help producers and saltwater disposal facilities recover more oil from produced water.

BY LUKE GEIVER

Pg 22

6 Editor’s Note LOGISTICS

Delivering New Oilfield Waste Strategies

From new drill-cutting recycling projects to pending changes for TENORM regulations, the oilfield waste landscape is changing.

BY PATRICK C. MILLER

Bakken Water, Oilfield Waste Developments

BY LUKE GEIVER

8 ND Petroleum Council Fracking Debate Update

BY TESSA SANDSTROM

10 Events Calendar 12 Bakken News

Bakken News and Trends

ON THE COVER: Enable Midstream Partners works on an oil and water gathering line for operator XTO Inc. PHOTO: ENABLE MIDSTREAM PARTNERS

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5

EDITOR'S NOTE

Bakken Water, Oilfield Waste Developments Of all the topics we devote coverage time and energy to throughout the year, oilfield waste is one with the least appeal. While the topics of flaring and operator updates Luke Geiver

Editor The Bakken magazine lgeiver@bbiinternational.com

are always popular and well read, telling the story of naturally occurring radioactive material handling and disposal methods just doesn’t have the same readership appeal. But, consider this: Every year, roughly 2 million tons of new drill cuttings in the Williston Basin need to be managed. Until now, the massive amount of drill cuttings produced annually in the Bakken has been sent to landfills in and outside of North Dakota. A new technology and drill cutting approach has arrived, however, that recycles the material created during horizontal drilling into material similar to road base and flowable fill. Fortunately for our editorial team, release of the technology coincided with our monthly theme on oilfield waste, and fortunately for the entire Bakken community, it now has access to a process that will change the perception of sustainability in the play.

For his story, “Delivering New Oilfield Waste Strategies,” staff writer Patrick Miller spoke with Nuverra Environmental Solutions Inc. about its new Terraficient process before and after the company officially revealed its involvement in the Bakken, during a press conference at the Capitol attended by Gov. Jack Dalrymple, North Dakota Petroleum Council President Ron Ness and others. His story sheds light on Nuverra’s three-year research and roll-out effort to bring Terraficient to the Bakken through a government and industry-led effort, as well as other key issues in the oilfield waste segment of the Bakken play. We are confident it will be well read.

Along with oilfield waste, we also turned our monthly focus to water. Because the topic is broad, we approached the topic with this basic premise: any story on water needs to include input and insight on new management strategies or efficiency gains and cost savings incurred due to new technology. Guided by that premise and push to cover what is new, we were able to track down several unique perspectives from multiple water-linked firms. At first, each’s comments sounded like material we had already covered in the magazine, however, every conversation revealed something new about how water is managed, treated or looked at in the Bakken circa 2015.

On a broader level, the stories on oilfield waste and water contain a facet that the Bakken team discusses or thinks about daily. This month, in talking to oilfield waste experts and water gurus, we noted that common perspectives remain in place over long periods. But, also that any topic—from the mundane to the flashy—we research, recheck or reanalyze will undoubtedly reveal some new process, approach or equipment tweak in development.

For the Latest Industry News:

www.TheBakken.com Follow us: twitter.com/thebakkenmag facebook.com/TheBakkenMag 6

The BAKKEN MAGAZINE JUNE 2015

ADVERTISER INDEX www.THEBAKKEN.com

33 AE2S

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 6

32 Brock White Company

EDITORIAL

18 DryRock Products

Editor Luke Geiver lgeiver@bbiinternational.com

27 FALCON TECHNOLOGIES

Staff Writer Emily Aasand eaasand@bbiinternational.com

20-21 Green Group Holidings, LLC

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19 ISCO Industries

PUBLISHING & SALES

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44 LPP Combustion

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17 SBG Energy Services LLC

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4 Tyco Fire Protection Products

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3 Unconventional Resources Technology Conference (URTeC) 11 Valley Industries LLC

Subscriptions Subscriptions to The Bakken magazine are free of charge to everyone with the exception of a shipping and handling charge of $49.95 for any country outside the United States.

To subscribe, visit www.TheBakken.com or you can send your mailing address and payment (checks made out to BBI International) to: The Bakken magazine/Subscriptions, 308 Second Ave. N., Suite 304, Grand Forks, ND 58203. You can also fax a subscription form to 701-746-5367. Reprints and Back Issues Select back issues are available for $3.95 each, plus shipping. Article reprints are also available for a fee. For more information, contact us at 866-746-8385 or service@bbiinternational. com. Advertising The Bakken magazine provides a specific topic delivered to a highly targeted audience. We are committed to editorial excellence and high-quality print production. To find out more about The Bakken magazine advertising opportunities, please contact us at 866-746-8385 or service@bbiinternational.com. Letters to the Editor We welcome letters to the editor. If you write us, please include your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity and/or space. Send to The Bakken magazine/Letters, 308 Second Ave. N., Suite 304, Grand Forks, ND 58203 or email to lgeiver@bbiinternational.com.

45 Wacker Neuson Sales America 16 Wells Concrete 43 Williston State College 26 Wood Group PSN

COPYRIGHT Š 2015

by BBI International

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7

NORTH DAKOTA PETROLEUM COUNCIL

THE MESSAGE

UNDERGROUND VISION: The rendering here shows a sliding sleeve approach to hydraulic fracturing. In the image, the area outside the wellbore has been cemented to ensure the best location for each fracture network.

Fracking Debate Update

By Tessa Sandstrom

In perusing Facebook the other day, a comedy clip came across my newsfeed that I’ve seen many times before and still makes me laugh. The clip,

from acclaimed comedian Louis C.K., was focused on air travel complaints, and it also made me think. “‘I had to sit on the runway for 40 minutes.’ Oh my god, really? What happened then, did you fly through the air like a bird, incredibly? Did you soar into the clouds, impossibly? Did you partake in the miracle of human flight and then land softly on giant tires that you couldn't even conceive how they [expletive] put air in them?...You're sitting in a 8

chair in the sky. You're like a Greek myth right now.”

I’m just as guilty about making similar complaints about incredible modern feats, including flights and the delays and misconnections that come with the process. This joke, however, is representative of other modern marvels– Internet, on-demand TV, sketchy cell phone service. We all complain about the “unreliability of it” sometimes, but think about a time before we had them.

In fact, we’ve become so accustomed to being introduced to a new marvel on a daily basis that we’ve become completely immune to some of them. Take, for example, the fact that we have

The BAKKEN MAGAZINE JUNE 2015

learned to take a chunk of dense rock and turn it into a liquid which is then turned into malleable, yet durable solids that have helped create the many comforts of our modern day life from modern medicine to the devices like smart phones and computers that we use to stay connected to our loved ones, complete our work, stay informed and play our games.

That marvel is made possible by one technology: hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Fracking has been under attack by some for the past six to seven years despite the fact that fracking has been performed safely for more

than 60 years. Their belief—that has never been backed by science or facts—has always been based on the belief that fracking would ruin our water supplies. Fracking opponents have continued to stand by their belief, relying primarily on misinformation or emotional arguments often from people like Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon who have recognizable names but no scientific education or background, despite several elements of the argument for or against fracking. There has never been an occurrence of water contamination in 60 years. And, technology and the research of

‘The possibilities for innovation could be endless, but innovation can only exist in an environment where they are able to progress.’

NORTH DAKOTA PETROLEUM COUNCIL

chemists, engineers, and other scientists who have dedicated their professional lives to this area of study, continues every day.

Recently, fracking detractors received another blow against their argument when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a report concluding that fracking does not have “widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water.”

This is something that those of us in oil producing states already know. North Dakotans are well-informed on this topic and understand that our state has put in place significant regulations to ensure development is done safely.

We’ve seen that oil development can be done safely and efficiently.

We also recognize that there are impacts and the EPA study acknowledged that as well.

Neither the industry nor the report deny that fracking is impact or risk-free. Nothing in our lives

is risk-free. The important thing is that we recognize that there are risks and work to mitigate them.

As we speak, there are scientists and engineers within the industry who are exploring new ways to become more efficient, whether it is building even better safeguards, recycling and reusing more of the flowback or produced water, or should a spill incident occur, finding ways to remediate them.

For example, saltwater spills have been an area of concern in North Dakota, but a task force made up of scientists and industry professionals have been working over the course of the year to look into these incidences. They’ve put together documents and case studies showing the ways that these incidences can be cleaned up and the land remediated and producing in as little as a year.

These documents will soon be released.

Meanwhile, other scientists

are exploring the use of carbon dioxide or nitrogen to frack instead of water. Others are looking into carbon capture and sequestration.

The possibilities for innovation could be endless, but innovation can only exist in an environment where they are able to progress.

Despite the support of science, the long history of safe use and reports like that from the EPA, the debate of fracking will not end. The witchhunters who have dedicated the better part of a decade trying to persecute this technology will move on to other issues associated with oil development, and therein lies the witch they are out to hunt: oil and gas. The end goal for them is not to work constructively to mitigate risks or impacts; their endgame is to simply put up roadblocks against innovative solutions that can encourage better development.

But for those of us who enjoy our modern conveniences,

including our computers and smart phones, we recognize that science and innovation can unlock the technologies that will allow us to develop this vital resource even more efficiently, and we know it’s possible. After all, if scientists have figured out how to turn a chunk of rock into a smart phone, don’t you think there is at least one who can find solutions to our industry’s challenges? All they need is our support and the ability to operate under certainty, and the EPA report helps provide the insurance—and assurance—to do just that.

Author: Tessa Sandstrom Communications Manager, North Dakota Petroleum Council tsandstrom@ndoil.org 701-557-7744

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The BAKKEN MAGAZINE JUNE 2015

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BAKKEN NEWS

BAKKEN NEWS & TRENDS

TYPE OF ESTIMATED NATURAL GAS AND CRUDE OIL PRODUCTION IN 4 COUNTRIES, 2014 natural gas (billion cubic feet per day)

China

crude oil (million barrels per day)

Argentina

0.25 Bcf/d of shale gas

0.25mmbbl/d of tight oil

Canada

Canada nonshale gas

United States Bcf/d 0

15

shale gas

30

45

60

United States 75

mmbbl/d 0

tight oil

nontight oil

2

4

6

8

10

SOURCE: INSTITUTE FOR ENERGY RESEARCH

IER: World shale energy resources greater than we know While the U.S. has done more than any country in the world to capitalize on its oil and gas shale energy resources, the potential of shale energy is far greater than what’s technically and economically recoverable today.

“People have known for a long time that there’s a whole lot of oil and natural gas trapped in shale, but it doesn’t matter if it’s there and you can’t get it out in a cost-effective manner,” said Dan Simmons, vice president of policy for the Institute for Energy Research in Washington, D.C. When oil prices are above

12

$50 a barrel and new technologies such as improved underground imaging are combined with horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, they provide access to resources that were previously unavailable.

“That’s pretty exciting because there are large amounts of oil and natural gas resources in the world, but if you don’t have the technological means of accessing them, it really doesn’t matter,” Simmons said. “That is one of the great things that the hydraulic fracturing revolution has showed us. Technology can change and improve to bring a lot of these resources online. In

The BAKKEN MAGAZINE JUNE 2015

the past, it was technologically and economically impossible.”

In an analysis of data from the Energy Information Administration, IER says that hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have led to “an oil and gas production renaissance” in the U.S. with more than 40 percent of production coming from shale formations.

An assessment of global shale and gas resources conducted by Advanced Resources International for EIA found 137 shale formations in 41 countries outside the U.S. Worldwide, the company estimates that 345 billion barrels of shale oil and

7,299 trillion cubic feet of shale gas are technically recoverable.

IER defines technically recoverable resources as oil and natural gas that could be produced using current technology, regardless of price and production costs. In contrast, economically recoverable resources can be profitably produced under current market conditions.

According to IER, only four countries have produced commercial quantities of oil and gas from shale plays. They are the U.S., Canada, China and Argentina. However, China produced only a small amount of shale gas and Argentina

BAKKEN NEWS

TOP 10 COUNTRIES WITH TECHNICALLY RECOVERABLE SHALE OIL RESOURCES

produced just a small amount of (billion barrels) shale oil.

“Out of the four countries, only the United States is a major 75 Russia producer of both shale oil and 58 U.S. gas,” the IER analysis says.

32 China EIR also notes that in the 27 U.S., “a large portion of shale Argentina gas production is from the Ap26 Libya palachian Basin’s Marcellus Shale 18 Australia where gas production has more 13 than tripled in the past three years Venezuela from 4.8 billion cubic feet per day 13 Mexico in 2011 to 14.6 billion cubic feet Pakistan 9 per day in 2014.”

9 Canada Simmons reasoned that the amount of oil and gas in shale is far greater than current estimates, 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 which will increase with more exploration, better economics and improved technologies.

TOP 10 COUNTRIES WITH TECHNICALLY For example, in 2002, he said the U.S. Geological Survey RECOVERABLE SHALE GAS RESOURCES estimated the amount of techni(trillion cubic feet) cally recoverable natural gas in the Marcellus formation was 2 1,115 China trillion cubic feet. By 2011, the es802 timate had increased to 84 trillion Argentina cubic feet. That wasn’t because 707 Algeria the amount of gas increased, but 665 U.S. because of changes in economics 573 Canada and technology.

“I believe that there are a lot 545 Mexico more shale resources around the 437 Australia world, but what actually matters 390 South Africa is being able to drill and to exRussia 285 periment. People are then able to figure out the best ways to pro245 Brazil duce it,” Simmons said. “When you can look, you find a lot more resources than you knew, even in 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 known areas.”

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13

BAKKEN NEWS

OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: Oasis Petroleum has used new, high-intensity completions based on slickwater to produce more oil than it previously planned for.

PHOTO: OASIS PETROLEUM INC.

Oasis exceeds Q1 production predictions Oasis Petroleum Inc., an independent exploration and production company, announced that company total revenues were down in the first quarter of 2015, primarily due to lower oil and natural gas prices despite beating its previously set production predictions. In the company’s 2015 Q1 earnings call, Oasis reported a sequential quarter-overquarter decrease in lease operating expense (LOE) per barrels of oil equivalent (boe), which was due to lower water volumes produced as well as more salt water disposal volumes going to Oasis Midstream Services disposal wells, decreased workover costs and lower LOE on nonoperated volumes.

“Oasis exceeded production guidance of 47,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) to 49,000 boepd in the first quarter of 2015, as new wells brought on during the first quarter exceeded 14

DESIGN OF HIGH-INTENSITY COMPLETIONS Design Stages Proppant type Proppant volume Technique Lift Fluids pumped

Slickwater 36 100% ceramic 4.0MM lbs Plug & Perf High capacity 220k barrels

High Volume Proppant 50 90% sand/10% resin coated 9.0MM lbs Plug & Perf High Capacity 150k barrels

SOURCE: OASIS PETROLEUM INC.

production expectations with over 60 percent of the wells completed with high-intensity stimulation,” said Thomas Nusz, Oasis chairman and CEO. “Additionally, CapEx tracked in line with our budget, with drilling and completion capital coming in at $216.6 million, or $8.3 million below our budget.”

Oasis brought on 23 gross operated and 0.9 net nonoperated wells on producing in the Williston Basin during Q1. The company has five rigs running and 91 gross operated wells awaiting completion in the Williston Basin.

“The White Unit in Wild Basin, our first multislickwater

The BAKKEN MAGAZINE JUNE 2015

test, continues to outperform the high-end of our type curve,” said Nusz.

The test included seven wells in a portion of a single drilling space unit (DSU), all completed with slickwater completions. Nusz added that the Middle Bakken well has produced approximately 256,000 boe through 216 days and the wells in the first bench of the Three Forks have produced on average 167,000 boe through 192 days. Oasis also completed its first high-volume proppant test in Alger.

“The Helling Trust has two new Middle Bakken wells that have produced on average 139,000 boe through 88 days and

a well completed in the first bench of the Three Forks wells that has produced 104,000 boe through 87 days. All of the Middle Bakken and Three Forks wells in both the White Unit and the Helling Trust have early time production that is trending over double our corresponding production data for our 750,000 boe Middle Bakken type curve and our 600,000 boe Three Forks type curve, respectively,” Nusz said. “The continued outperformance of both of these high intensity completion tests continues to provide us with confidence in our plans to target our core area with high-intensity completions.”

BAKKEN NEWS

200

100

180 Original Completions - 30-35 Stgs; 3-4 MMlbs -60 WELLS

160

Mid -Size Completions - 31-34 Stgs; 7.5-9 MMlbs -17 WELLS 140

80

75 MBoe uplift

Most Recent Completions - 48-51 Stgs; 9.5-10 MMlbs -10 WELLS

120

60

Original well count

100 80

40

Well Count – dotted lines

In QEP Resources Inc.’s first quarter 2015 financial and operating results, the company reported a net loss from continuing operations of $55.6 million. The company’s adjusted net loss was $8.7 million, compared with the adjusted net income from continuing operations of $41.1 million for the comparable 2014 period. The decrease was due to lower than average crude prices, natural gas and natural gas liquids, partially offset by higher crude oil volumes, lower production taxes and higher oil volumes, lower production taxes and higher proceeds from realized commodity derivatives.

“Our strong first quarter operational performance, coupled with our premier E&P asset portfolio and solid financial position, demonstrates the flexibility we have built into our business to manage through the current volatile commodity price environment,” said Chuck Stanley, chairman, president and CEO of QEP Resources.

“We have significantly decelerated drilling activity to manage through the commodity price trough and we are continuing to actively manage the timing of well completions to take advantage of the contango in forward crude oil and natural gas prices.”

With the slowdown in activity, QEP has focused on providing more efficient operations, which have provided successful results from its enhanced

WILLISTON BASIN – SOUTH ANTELOPE – ENHANCED COMPLETIONS RESULTS

Cumulative P roduction ( MBoe)

QEP finds Q1 enhanced well completion success

60

Mid -size well count

40 20

20

Most recent well count 0 120

0 0

30

60

90

Days on Production

Enhanced completion infill wells are outperforming p arent wells on average SOURCE: QEP RESOURCES INC.

completion designs in the Williston Basin and Pinedale.

The company said it completed three wells in western North Dakota in the quarter utilizing cemented liners with plug and perf completion technology to further evaluate optimum stimulation design.

According to QEP, these wells were completed over 50 stages utilizing roughly 1,000 pounds of proppant per lateral foot.

While production results are still being evaluated, QEP says early results indicate a modest improvement over prior offset sliding sleeve completions.

“Combining larger proppant volumes with more stages resulted in an average increase in cumulative production of about 75 barrels of oil equivalent in the first 120 days online compared to our original design,” the company said.

QEP began implementing enhanced well completion designs last year and initially switched from pumping roughly 350 pounds of proppant per lateral foot to approximately 825 pounds of proppant per lateral foot over 33 stages. QEP began pumping 1,000 pounds of proppant per lateral foot over 50 stages.

During the first quarter of 2015, QEP continued to work on a pilot program to evaluate high-density infill development drilling on its South Antelope acreage. The company said it drilled and completed a total of four pilot wells spaced at 400 and 600-foot intervals, between existing producing wells, in the Middle Bakken and first bench of the Three Forks. “We also drilled our first well in the second bench of the Three Forks.

Flowback on these infill wells

began in April 2015 and initial production results are encouraging,” the company said.

At the end of the first quarter of 2015, QEP had 40 gross operated wells awaiting completion in the Williston Basin and four operated rigs running, including three on South Antelope and one rig on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. The company expected gross completed well costs in the Williston Basin to average $9.5 million during 2015.

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15

BAKKEN NEWS

ND’s economic increase streak continues

ND TAXABLE SALES & PURCHASES BY INDUSTRY

The North Dakota taxable sales increase streak first started in 2010 continued in 2014.

The state’s tax department has reported that taxable sales and purchases for 2014 reached $28.2 billion, an 11 percent increase above the $25.47 billion recorded in 2013. The mining and oil extraction industry segment achieved an increase of nearly 19 percent at $806.4 million. Of the 15 major industry sectors, 10 saw growth from 2013 to 2014.

In addition to tracking industry sector growth, the annual report also records city and population area results. Dunn County led all counties in the state with an increase of 62.41percent over the previous year, followed

by Bottineau at 44.33 percent, McKenzie at 39.44 percent, Slope at 29.78 percent and Billings at 22.95 percent.

At the city level, several small communities underwent major growth, an aspect of the report that Ryan Rauschenberger, tax commissioner, said shows the strength of the state’s economy. “All of the cities that experienced a near doubling of the sales tax bases are small,� he said. “Significant growth occurred not only

Arts, Entertainment & Recreation: $103.4

2014 Total - $28.2 Billion

Wholesale Trade: $7,391.4

Numbers Shown in Millions of Dollars Educational, Health Care & Social Services: $62.1 Professional, Scientific, Technical & Management Services: $162.3 Utilities: $230.3 Miscellaneous: 250.4

Retail Trade: $6,900.6

Transportation & Warehousing: $400.2 Other Services: $593.9 Information Industries: $787.4 Construction: $965.2 Manufacturing: $1,527.9 Financial, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental & Leasing: $1,724.7 Accommodation & Food Services: $1,928.6

Mining & Oil Extraction: $5,194.1

SOURCE: NORTH DAKOTA TAX DEPARTMENT

in the oil-rich western side of the state, but also throughout nearly every region of the state.�

The North Dakota cities of Burlington and Davenport each recorded more than 100 percent growth at 198.21 percent and 126.05 percent, respectively. The cities of Sawyer, Reeder and Des Lacs each saw increases from 2013 to 2014 above 80 percent. Major metro areas also saw an increase. Bismarck, Dickin-

son, Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot and Williston all recorded growth upticks. “Eleven percent is a substantial increase in North Dakota taxable sales and purchases, well above the 2 percent rate of inflation,�

Rauschenberger said. “This report shows a continuation of the rapid sales growth experienced nearly every year since 2010.�

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BAKKEN NEWS

Dakota Prairie refinery begins Bakken operations The Dickinson, North Dakota-based Dakota Prairie refinery has begun operations, MDU Resources Group Inc. and Calumet Specialty Products Partners L.P., the joint-partner on the refinery, announced in May. The refinery is the first greenfield fuels refinery built in the U.S. in nearly 40 years. “Over time, we expect that this refinery has the potential to be an important contributor to the economic growth of the local and state economy.�

The refinery can process 20,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Bakken crude, resulting in a production slate which includes up to 7,000 bpd that can be sold from the plant to regional customers.

The Dakota Prairie refinery will also produce up to 6,500 bpd of naphtha, which is used as a diluent to transport heavy oil by pipeline or as a feedstock in gasoline production; up to 6,000 bpd of atmospheric tower bottoms, which can be used as feedstock for lubricating oils; and other refined products, the company said.

Construction of the facility began on March 26, 2013, on a 318-acre site that is located roughly four miles west of Dickinson.

The original start date for diesel production

was slated for the end of 2014. The delay was debottlenecking and other strategies. We also will benefit from experience gained with this partially due to late revisions made to electrical systems, the company said. At its peak project to help develop future projects, such as construction, the site employed more than a second plant,� Goodin said.

800 workers, and since becoming operational, it now employs 80. MDU estimates the total cost of the plant to be approximately $435 million. bpd MDU is currently considering a second diesel refinery near Minot, North Dakota. “In the future, we expect there will be great opportunities to improve financial performance bpd of the refinery through available for

20,000

to be processed at plant

7,000

6,500 bpd

2/ 3 of ND’s

of naptha can be produced

sale

diesel fuel is imported

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THEBAKKEN.COM

17

BAKKEN NEWS

Marathon Oil’s 2015 production guidance unchanged Marathon Oil believes its U.S. unconventional oil production guidance for the Bakken, Eagle Ford and Oklahoma Resource Basins will remain despite the exploration and production company’s activity and capital spending reduction plans. From the first quarter of 2014 to Q1 2015, the company has reduced production and other operating costs by roughly 25 percent. According to Lee Tillman, Marathon CEO, operation-related cost reductions come simply from hardwork.

“There is no one magic bullet,” he said.

To reduce operations costs, the Marathon team has worked to coordinate deployment of contract labor, focus on compressor utilization, aggregate water systems and optimize its chemical programs. Savings from each area are durable, Tillman said, and can be made possible in any oil price scenario. The oil price environment has guided the team to adjust

activity levels based on 2015 NORTH AMERICA ACTIVITY U.S. RESOURCE PLAYS cash flows, Tillman also Bakken said. Such focus could bring the sale of roughly $500 million worth of $645MM 2 26-36 53-63 58-70 noncore assets. “Our plan Oklahoma Resource Basins is to hold this activity level for the remainder of $253MM 3 16-20 18-22 23-26 the year,” he said.

In the Bakken, Marathon is now incorEagle Ford porating its new fracture designs to all new wells. $1,331MM 10 196-206 227-247 160-176 Its enhanced completion SOURCE: MARATHON OIL design is based on optimizing proppant loading, frack fluid volumes and stage density. The first thon expects to bring 53 to 63 gross operated 23 wells using the new design have recorded wells to sale. The company’s rig count in the a 30 percent uplift in cumulative production Williston Basin for the rest of the year should volumes over the first 90 days. In 2015, Mara- average two drilling rigs.

CAPEX

CAPEX

Average 2015 Rig Count

Gross Operated Wells Drilled

Gross Operated Wells to Sales

Average 2015 Rig Count

Gross Operated Wells Drilled

Gross Operated Wells to Sales

Net Wells to Sales

Net Wells to Sales

CAPEX

Average 2015 Rig Count

Gross Operated Wells Drilled

Gross Operated Wells to Sales

Net Wells to Sales

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The BAKKEN MAGAZINE JUNE 2015

B,

BAKKEN NEWS

EOG defers well completions until crude prices rise

PIPEPLUS

EOG Resources Inc.’s first quarter results were significantly impacted by low commodity prices. The world’s largest shale oil producer recorded a net loss of nearly $169.7 million, the company reported in its first quarter earnings conference call. Although EOG saw a financial decline, overall total company production increased nearly eight percent compared to the first quarter 2014. EOG says it will focus 85 percent of its 2015 capital spending on its top oil plays, including the Bakken.

In the first quarter, EOG focused activity on its Parshall core acreage in the Bakken where 500-foot spacing results were encouraging. The company reported that average well costs were down 14 percent in the first quarter compared to 2014 levels. EOG had a five-well pattern in the Parshall area which had an average initial production rate per well of 1,235 barrels of oil per day (bopd) and completed a three-well pattern which had an initial production rate per well that averaged 1,345 bopd.

B,6&2B%DNNHQ$G LQGG

NGLs NGLs “EOG is on track to deliver Gas 6% 11% a disciplined 2015 capital program 2% Gas that is focused on achieving strong 11% returns on capital invested,” said William Thomas, chairman and CEO. “We continue to adjust to Oil Oil the lower oil price environment by 92% 78% reducing well costs and operating expenses and by making significant well productivity improvements Core Well Antelope Well through technology advancements.”

The company said it has no prepare for stoing growth in a better price interest in accelerating oil production at the bottom of the commodity cycle. EOG’s goal environment,” the company said. “If prices for 2015 is to position the company to resume continue to improve, EOG will begin to increase well completions in the third quarter.” strong oil growth when oil prices improve.

If oil prices recover, stabilize and recover Falling in line with that goal, EOG chose to at the $65 level, EOG is prepared to resume defer a significant number of well complestrong double-digit oil growth in 2016 with tions in the third quarter. balanced capital spending and discretionary “By deferring completions until prices cash flow, the company said. improve, EOG increases capital returns and builds an inventory of uncompleted wells to

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LOGISTICS

DELIVERING NEW OILFIELD WA ST E S T RATE G I E S Government and industry are working toward effective regulatory solutions to deal with oilfield solid waste.

By Patrick C. Miller 22

The BAKKEN MAGAZINE JUNE 2015

LOGISTICS

BENEFICIAL USES: The Nuverra Environmental Solutions Terrafficient Processing Facility at Watford City was the first plant selected under a North Dakota pilot project to recycle drilling wastes by turning them into usable products.

PHOTO: NUVERRA ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

THEBAKKEN.COM

23

LOGISTICS

Regulations governing solid waste disposal—including radioactive materials—from drilling operations in the Bakken are getting an overhaul to improve efficiency and lower costs without endangering public safety or the environment.

New NORM reuse efforts

As Scott Radig, director of the North Dakota Department of Health’s waste management division, puts it: “The philosophy and general policy of the department is that North Dakota should take care of its own issues that we generate here to the extent that it’s still safe for the public.”

Waste treated on the well site is regulated by the North Dakota Industrial Commission Department of Mineral Resources Oil and Gas Division. Waste transported off-site for treatment or burial in landfills is regulated by the state health department.

Before the Bakken production boom in 2008, oil and gas had just one or two treating plants to regulate, says Mark Bohrer, Oil and Gas Division underground injection control manager. Now there are 20, which resulted in the regulations being updated in April 2014.

“We revised our rules and regulations to cover a myriad of facilities that might be out treating or processing oilfield wastes to bring those under our jurisdiction under our treating plant rule,” he says. “Every treating plant is different. It’s not like permitting an oil well where they’re pretty much all the same.”

In a state that produces up to 2 million tons of solid drilling wastes annually, one of the

24

few options until recently was to bury it in a special waste landfill.

That changed last May when the North Dakota Legislature passed House Bill 1390. The bill authorized the state’s Department of Health to select one or more pilot project projects to recycle drilling wastes for beneficial uses.

On June 8, Gov. Jack Dalrymple announced that the Nuverra Environmental Solutions plant at Watford City, North Dakota, had been selected as the first pilot project participant under the new law. Using Nuverra’s Terrafficient solids management process, the plant will recycle drill cuttings for use in such applications as road bases, gravel additives, construction fill and flowable fill.

“The problem that we looked at with the landfills was that it’s legal and it works very well, but you’re really not changing the product itself,” according to Mark Johnsrud, board chairman and CEO of the Arizonabased company.

Running the cuttings through the Terrafficient process not only turns them into nonhazardous useful products, but also recovers water and hydrocarbons for reuse while reducing carbon emissions, he explains.

“Changing the profile of the byproduct was really the direction that we thought we needed to go,” Johnsrud says. “That’s how we could end up reducing or eliminating the risk for the operators. We can make sure from an environmental standpoint that we can do what’s very earth friendly, and we just think that it’s a good overall management tool for companies to use today.”

The bill requires that a company selected for the pilot project

The BAKKEN MAGAZINE JUNE 2015

“be supported by scientific findings from a third-party source focused on the anticipated environmental performance of the end products.” On the science side, Nuverra is working with the Energy & Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota.

“It takes good solid economic and science validation in order for this program to be successful,” Johnsrud says. Nuverra chose the EERC because the company had a good working relationship with the center, it belonged to the EERC’s Bakken Optimization Program and because of the EERC’s work with the North Dakota Petroleum Council.

Alison Ritter, public information officer for the state Oil and Gas Division, notes that one of the important aspects of HB1390 is that it removes the liability from a producer that gives its drill cuttings to a company for recycling. Previously, companies could treat only their own wastes products.

“The material actually has to be processed first and turned into the beneficial use before the liability is released,” she explains.

“One company can now take waste from another company and turn it into something good; there’s no liability for the other operator.”

Although recent low oil prices have reduced the amount of drilling wastes being produced, Bohrer believes that the recycling option is a good long-term solution.

“With the volume of waste that’s going to be generated throughout the life of the play, it just makes sense to reuse some of it,” he says.

Johnsrud says Nuverra’s Watford City plant has been approved by the Health Department and is already processing drill cuttings from customers.

“We’re just trying to finetune our operations,” he says.

“We anticipate that either by the fourth quarter of this year or the first quarter of 2016 that we’ll be commercially operational. We’re still doing our testing and ramping up the process as we go.”

Radig says that the health department currently regulates 12 oilfield waste disposal facilities in North Dakota “With the slowdown in drilling, the volumes going to those landfills has definitely decreased,” he says. “Over the long-term life of drilling in the Bakken, I would anticipate that there will be a number of additional specialwaste landfills permitted. If this beneficial use and recycling takes off, that may change that picture.”

TENORM’s trek

Another waste product from drilling is TENORM—technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material. It’s typically found in areas where radioactive waste tends to concentrate, such as in filter socks, heater treaters, sludge accumulated in saltwater storage tanks and in the scale of old, corroded pipelines.

“Currently and previously, the limit was 5 picocuries per gram of radium,” Radig says.

“Anything above 5 was considered regulated material. No material regulated by the radiation control rules could be taken into landfills in the state.”

Currently, TENORM can only be disposed of by being trucked to far away landfills in other states such as Idaho and

LOGISTICS

CHECK IT OUT: A Keitu Engineering employee uses screening equipment to check a waste storage tank for TENORM prior to disposal.

PHOTO: KEITU ENGINEERING AND CONSULTANTS INC.

Colorado—a very expensive process.

“The cost of transportation is higher than the disposal fee,” says Kathleen Spilman, managing director of Keitu Engineers and Consultants Inc. in Mandan, North Dakota. “And this is done at a facility that’s permitted to take contaminated materials from a nuclear power plant. It’s like going gopher hunting with an elephant gun—it’s overkill.”

Founded in 2001, one of the Keitu’s specialties is helping producers properly handle and dispose of TENORM within state regulations. The firm has four trained industrial hygienists, including Spilman.

“We’re members of the American Industrial Hygiene Association,” she says. “It’s not something where you go to a class and declare yourself a radiation safety officer. It’s a practice area for us.”

In addition to making rec-

ommendations for TENORM metering equipment, training employees how to use it and developing protocols, Keitu also works for companies seeking to obtain permits for special-use landfills.

“We can complete the permit application itself and compile the engineering data, participate in the public hearings, work with the health department, oversee construction and audit the operation at the facility from time to time,” Spilman says. “All those types of aspects are being folded into the regulations associated with operating a special waste landfill in North Dakota.”

The TENORM disposal issue could soon change if new rules proposed by the North Dakota Department of Health are adopted. One recommendation is to raise the level of radiation accepted in the landfills from 5 picocuries to 50. The higher level was based on a study conducted by the Argonne National Labo-

SPECIAL DELIVERY: Nuverra designed trucks for the purpose of delivering wet drill cuttings for recycling to its Terrafficient processing facility.

PHOTO: NUVERRA ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS

ratory for the health department using risk models and risk evaluation.

“They determined that a level of 50 picocuries per gram of radium would be a very conservative and a safe limit that the landfills here could accept,” according to Radig. “Once this rule goes into effect, special waste landfills for large volume industrial landfills in North Dakota could apply to the health department to change the permit to accept that type of waste (TENORM).”

The rules call for a cradleto-grave, record-keeping system that accounts for where the TENORM is generated at each salt-

water disposal facility or oil well, who picks it up and where it’s delivered for final disposal, Radig says.

TENORM emerged as a problem in 2014 when filter socks were found illegally dumped in abandoned buildings and along roadsides. Spilman says the problem was partly caused by some producers not doing due diligence on businesses disposing of TENORM and dishonest businesses taking advantage of the situation. She also believes the current standard of 5 picocuries for waste to be classified as TENORM is unreasonable.

“To put it in perspective,

THEBAKKEN.COM

25

LOGISTICS

under the 5 picocuries limit, technically you couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t dispose of Brazil nuts; you couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t throw them in a special-use landfill,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even some coffee weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve tested exceeded that level.â&#x20AC;?

Radig says 5 picocuries wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t originally intended to be the regulatory standard, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why the new standard was set at 50 picocuries based on the Argonne study.

Without making excuses for industry, Spilman says the dumping of filter socks

wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a common practice, nor was it characteristic of how most producers operated. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will tell you that some of the oil companies weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve worked with have been isolating those socks from the get-go,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been putting them in containers and disposing of them properly in facilities that are permitted for much higher levels of radioactivity. Their socks have been properly isolated from being a threat to human health and the environment.â&#x20AC;?

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Last year, the health department worked with Oil and Gas Division to implement an order requiring a special container designated only for filter socks or other TENORM material be on site at every saltwater disposal well and every well up through the point of drilling and completion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Any filter socks or TENORM material that was in those containers needed to be transported by a licensed company to a licensed disposal facility,â&#x20AC;? Radig said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After that went into effect June 1 of last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;one year agoâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the number of illegal dumpings in road ditches or abandoned buildings essentially went away. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had only one since that time. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure it was probably in that location before that requirement went into effect.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had comments from industry saying theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like the North Dakota limit to be the same as Idaho or California or Colorado, which would be 1,500 picocuries per gram,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our studyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;with the type of procedures we currently haveâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;indicates that 50 is an appropriate limit at this time.â&#x20AC;?

Spilman says that one-size-fits-all solutions donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work. Each problem requires a tailored solution. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As an engineer, I still go back to whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s necessary,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The difference between engineering and science is that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always looking at the cost factorâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking at the best alternative. If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not an adequate alternative, if weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not providing adequate protection, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not even an alternative.â&#x20AC;?

Still, Spilman says the key is to provide industry with options at a realistic cost when it comes to TENORM disposal. â&#x20AC;&#x153;From the regulated communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s standpoint, the vast majority of the oil companiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;if they have a reasonable cost and a reasonable alternativeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;are happy to dispose of it properly because we all live here,â&#x20AC;? she explains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to contaminate where we live and where our kids are going to grow up.â&#x20AC;?

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21( 1$7,21 81'(5 *2'

26

;1/9

Author: Patrick C. Miller Staff Writer, The Bakken magazine 701-738-4923 pmiller@bbiinternational.com

The BAKKEN MAGAZINE JUNE 2015

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LOGISTICS

28

The BAKKEN MAGAZINE JUNE 2015

LOGISTICS

Managing Bakken

Water Needs Longer lateral lengths and increased frack stages per well have midstream companies and water management and research teams working feverishly to keep up with industry water treatment and transportation needs.

By Emily Aasand

Over the past few years, the oil and gas industry has seen an increase in the volume of water being used for hydraulic fracturing, due in part to longer lateral lengths and an increase in the number of frack stages per well.

Bethany Kurz, senior research manager at the University of North Dakota’s Energy & Environmental Research Center, says there have been increases in the number of slickwater well stimulations which require three to four times the water volumes compared to gel-based fracks.

Kurz and her team at the EERC are well-versed in all things Bakken water. The EERC offers an array of water management services in western North Dakota. Past and ongoing projects include working with producers to evalu-

ate saline water recycling and treatment technologies and reuse scenarios, evaluation of nontraditional water supply options, brine spill remediation, pipeline materials assessment, saltwater pipeline leak detection options, saltwater corrosion studies and evaluation of carbon dioxide storage capacity in brine formations.

“We are actively involved in looking at past trends in freshwater demand and produced water generation to better predict future fresh water needs and disposal well capacity,” says Kurz. The combination of low oil prices and the constant push for new water treatment, handling and use strategies has made Kurz, and many other water-based entities focused on the Williston Basin very busy. Their water work now could lead to major changes in the future.

LAYING GROUND WORK: The first phase of Enable's Nesson gathering system is currently operational and serves wells in Williams and Mountrail counties of North Dakota.

PHOTO: ENABLE MIDSTREAM PARTNERS LP

THEBAKKEN.COM

29

LOGISTICS

CELLPHONE SERVICE: Grant Slick and other members of the AE2S team can monitor and control pipelines installed by the company from mobile devices.

PHOTO: AE2S

BUILDING THE HIDDEN BENCH: Construction takes place on AE2S' Hidden Bench gathering pipeline system in McKenzie County, North Dakota.

PHOTO: AE2S

Prime Time For Growth

Low oil prices have made the ideas of greater efficiencies and cost saving measures both popular terms. Pipelines and gathering systems are just one of many solutions to reduce cost for oil producers.

“There’s a need for water gathering. It’s an economical solution to producer’s requirements,” says Brandon Hoselton, northern division gathering and processing director of operations for Enable Midstream Partners LP. “Pipelines aren’t restricted like a trucking entity is with regard to the number of hours a driver can operate. We are able to somewhat

30

base our employee base strategically. We also see a benefit to public safety with the lack of trucks on the road. Pipelines offer more of a streamlined process and that’s one of our big benefits.”

“A key challenge with respect to water is how safely we transport and store brine to minimize environmental impacts, whether that involves pipeline transport of brine from well pads to disposal locations or stage of large volumes of produced water on well pads for use in hydraulic fracturing,” says Kurz. “In the past, as activity in the Bakken began to ramp up, there were issues associated with access to fresh

The BAKKEN MAGAZINE JUNE 2015

water supplies. Those issues have largely been alleviated as a result of substantial improvements to our water supply infrastructure through water supply pipeline projects.”

LaMarr Barnes, vice president of marketing and business development at U.S. Water, says the current low price of oil is what’s driving U.S. Water deep into the Bakken right now.

“Our experiences, especially in Colorado, with a few key midstream players have helped companies meet some of their requirements to reduce cost in production, so they’re really screaming for us to come help them do the same thing for Bakken shale play,” says Barnes.

AE2S Water Solutions provides solutions to industry needs for freshwater delivery and produced water collection systems, water treatment and reuse and fluid waste disposal, and they too see technology playing a big part in creating efficiencies and cost savings in the current price environment.

“Our instrumentation and controls group is busy programming and installing Supervisory and Control and Data Acquisition systems,” says Andrea Boe,

business development and corporate resources director at AE2S Water Solutions. “Additionally, our operations technology team developed an operations software application called OpWorks that is a way for operators to be more efficient in their day-to-day work life through streamlined logging and reporting.”

Fulfilling Water Needs

Increased slickwater wells have resulted in increased volumes of produced water, causing a demand for safe transportation of such liquid. As a result, the need for water gathering lines continues to become more and more prevalent in the Williston Basin.

“As the number of Bakken wells has expanded, the volume of produced water being generated as a result of oil and gas extraction has increased over 300 percent and has necessitated additional salt water disposal well locations,” Kurz says.

The EERC says many of its partners are interested in solutions to some of the pipelinerelated challenges that they are experiencing, including improved pipeline leak detection methods, development of best manage-

LOGISTICS

DOWN TO A SCIENCE: U.S. Water developed PhosZero to reduce the amount of phosphorous in water that is being discharged in the environment.

PHOTO: U.S. WATER SERVICES

ment practices for pipeline installation and evaluation of various pipeline materials.

Enable Midstream Partners LP is one of many owners and operators of gathering systems who supply mitigation solutions to such clients.

Enable Midstream was formed as a merger of two midstream businesses, one that was owned by CenterPoint Energy Inc. and one owned by OGE Energy Corp. in 2013. CenterPoint began its work in the Bakken before the companies formed a joint venture and together expanded operations to 11 states.

“The Bakken was part of the legacy, CenterPoint, and that construction began in 2012,” says Hoselton.

“We think that when we brought these two companies together that the real value came from the fact the CenterPoint side was more involved in transportation and storage and the OGE side had more experience

in the gas gathering and processing side in different basins,” says Sandra Longcrier, communications senior manager of Enable Midstream. “We brought those two companies together with very little overlap and we’re able to offer our customers more opportunities because of that.”

Enable Midstream has two existing water gathering systems in the Williston Basin, both in various stages of operation, construction and commission. The Bear Den Crude & Produced Water Gathering System is located in Dunn and McKenzie counties in North Dakota and its Nesson Produced Water Gathering System is in Williams and Mountrail counties. Both systems, when fully built, will total approximately 160 miles of crude and produced water gathering pipeline.

“In the Bakken, trucking commodities is the predominant method of getting it [produced water] from point of origin to production facilities to an inter-

connecting pipe or rail terminal, so there’s a real need for infrastructure for gathering and transmission systems up in the Bakken and we’re very fortunate to be able to provide that,” Hoselton says. “Pipelines give 24/7 access to producers and provides a level of safety to the public that may not otherwise be there due to factors such as weather conditions.”

Enable’s first gathering project, the Bear Den system, was completed in April and is fully operational. The company broke ground on the Nesson system last fall and started flowing oil into the system in March. The company began making deliveries to an interconnecting pipe via the Nesson system in May. The Nesson system, along with the Bear Den system, services oil producer XTO Energy Inc. “That process—from beginning to end—for that first phase was about seven months,” adds Hoselton. “Of course, we’re still in construction, but we are cur-

rently operating.”

Phase two of construction for the Nesson system began in April and is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of this year. When completed, the system is expected to have a capacity of 30,000 barrels of oil per day with more than 69 origin points to gather crude oil and produced water.

“Our customers continue to have a need for the delivery of energy to key markets,” says Lynn Bourdon, president and CEO of Enable Midstream. “We have a proven track record of effectively and efficiently deploying capital to meet that need.”

While water infrastructure— pipelines—for transporting freshwater and produced water have come a long way over the past several years, there are still some areas in need of infrastructure.

“The biggest issues right now is obtaining easement from landowners, and at a reasonable

THEBAKKEN.COM

31

LOGISTICS

cost, in order to continue placing this important infrastructure in service,â&#x20AC;? says Boe.

Integrated Services

U.S. Water, an integrated water management company, works directly with midstream companies to efficiently and effectively maintain their abilities to operate pipelines. Those pipeline management issues are being addressed through U.S. Waterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s corrosion protection, deposit control and pipeline cleaning services. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re an integrated offering company that offers sustainable chemistry equipment and engineering services,â&#x20AC;? says Barnes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the midstream oil and gas market, we are focused on providing a more comprehensive approach to asset integrity in pipeline and a more complete attempt

to solve root cause problems in those pipelines.â&#x20AC;?

U.S. Water explicitly trains its field representatives to always look for a way to solve the underlying problem so the company can give the best possible protection to its midstream customers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not just an equipment company, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not just a water treatment company and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not just an oilfield chemical company. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all three of those and sometimes we find opportunities to provide a better combination of those solutions than you would be likely to get from three separate suppliers,â&#x20AC;? says Barnes.

According to AE2S, pipelines are still the safest, most effective mode of transportation, and they create opportunities in improving the mode of transpor-

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â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a need for water gathering. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an economical solution to producersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; requirements.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Brandon Hoselton, Gathering and Processing Director of Operations

tation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For us, it means installing advanced technology so that we can monitor and control gathering systems from anywhere, even our cell phones,â&#x20AC;? says Boe. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It means creating solid risk management and crisis communication plans so that we could quickly react to any situation. Operations is

entering a new era in the Bakken and HB1358 laid the groundwork in guiding this process.â&#x20AC;?

The other side of U.S. Waterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business is traditional water treatment, which comes into play in the gas plantsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;cooling water, boiling water, and waste water treatment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We approach each water treatment opportunity as one-off engineering projects because the issues are so local,â&#x20AC;? says Barnes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re usually involved when thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s some kind of treatment involved to improve the quality of the water to make it fit for use for whatever process or opportunity has presented itself to dispose of the water.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Because the oil industry evolves so quickly and has such a strong desire to use water as efficiently as possible, we see con-

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phosphorus discharge from a cooling system at a gas plant,â&#x20AC;? says Barnes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The problem is that all traditional water cooling treatments contain phosphorus and phosphorus has become a significant contaminant of generating plant and algae growth for many lakes and streams. To address that issue, we developed a series of products called PhosZero with a specific blend of chemistries that we call E-FeX Technology.â&#x20AC;?

The team has found success with its PhosZero technology in Wisconsin when the Wisconsin State Department of Natural Resources made the determination to reduce allowable phosphorus limits to 0.075 parts per million (ppm) and as low as 0.04 ppm for facilities that discharge to more stressed waterways.

Future Water Considerations

Kurz says that the EERC will continue to play a key role helping the state and industry develop and implement cost-effective water management strategies to improve overall operational

efficiency and to reduce the environmental footprint of oil and gas-related activities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the input and support of our state and industrial partners, we are able to identify key water-related issues and utilize our diverse team of scientists and engineers to develop practical, stakeholder-supported solutions,â&#x20AC;? says Kurz. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are participating in the stakeholder gathering committee being led by the EERC and hope that several of our existing and pending projects can help serve as pilot projects and leading examples of how pipeline installation, monitoring and leak detection can be used successfully in the Bakken,â&#x20AC;? adds Boe. For Enable, the future water needs of the Bakken present opportunities for growth. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to add additional sites and points to bring into our system, but, as production declines and the amount of produced water increases, we just see the need for that service to increase over time,â&#x20AC;? says Hosel-

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tinued emphasis on the research and advancement of recycle in the Bakken,â&#x20AC;? says Boe. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although recycle isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite a critical economical point right now, it is important not to be short-sighted and proactively create an infrastructure system that could be easily adapted to a close looped system.â&#x20AC;?

Reacting to industry need isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the only element of water growth for firms like U.S. Water.

Although the company hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen a direct impact on its oil and gas business from regulatory pressures, it is always cognizant that it could someday. What the company has seen is that discharge regulations for its industrial customers, including gas plants, have required them to get more efficient with waterâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;to reduce the amount of water that they discharge in the environment and in some cases reduce specific contaminants that have traditionally been able to discharge in the past. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One thing we are seeing in the Bakken is regulations around

ton. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We try to build very robust systems with capacity that allows for expansion in the future with minimal environmental impact to the environment and for landowners.â&#x20AC;?

If oil prices continue to stay low and companies arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t drilling as many wells, there will be pressure to find ways to discharge produced water that might not have as many places to go, a trend that U.S. Water is watching closely. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We believe that now, our focus on making oil separations better at the wellhead, solving pipeline midstream problems at their source, and really having a more complete approach to asset integrity to the pipelines, is going to have a very high demand in the near future,â&#x20AC;? says Barnes.

Author: Emily Aasand Staff Writer, The Bakken magazine 701-738-4976 eaasand@bbiinternational.com

PERATIONS

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33

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PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGY

38

The BAKKEN MAGAZINE JUNE 2015

PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGY

The New Name In

Oil Recovery By combining proven technologies into a unique skid-mounted package, NOV has created a new dynamic oil recovery system

By Luke Geiver

More than 10 million barrels of oil are lost in produced water every year. For unconventional oil producers or

salt water disposal facility operators, oil lost to produced water injected into a disposal well is revenue uncaptured. With oillinked entities looking to scrap out additional revenue streams from production already happening, many companies view waterbased technology as a means to greater profit. National Oilwell Varco believes it has a technology capable of fulfilling the need of extracting more profit from a staple of the oil industry: water.

After five years in the making, NOV has released a water treatment solution designed to filter water for increased oil recovery.

EXPLAINATION OF BENEFITS: WaterWolf inventor, Mark Wolf, at the control panel as he explains to a customer the unique, dynamic loop operating mode.

PHOTO: NOV COMPLETION & PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS

THEBAKKEN.COM

39

PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGY

DAILY PRODUCTION: WaterWolf in Texas recovers 5-10 Barrels of oil per day for SWD operator.

PHOTO: NOV COMPLETION & PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS

TECH FOR EVERY DROP: Sample from the recovered oil line of a WaterWolf operating at a Saltwater disposal facility in Texas.

PHOTO: NOV COMPLETION & PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS

‘One of the really nice things about this equipment is it is all contained on a single skid, it can be ready to run in a single day.’

Although the WaterWolf system has yet to be deployed in the Bakken shale play, NOV (and many other entities) have the Williston Basin in their future product deployment plans.

Already tested in Wyoming, Texas, California and the Gulf 40

of Mexico, the unique system highlights the role oil industry veterans and major energy service firms can play in tweaking tried-and-true techniques to service both new and old oilfield dilemmas. For any sector of the Williston Basin looking

The BAKKEN MAGAZINE JUNE 2015

for water-based solution equipment capable of filtering produced water or sifting barrels of oil from large water sums, the WaterWolf system could represent one of the best new technology offerings in the play.

WaterWolf’s Origin

According to Mark Wolf, inventor of the WaterWolf and an oil industry veteran of more than 25 years, the name of NOV’s new water treatment equipment offering was an accident. At first, he says, “we decided to call it dynamic oil recovery.” But, the marketing team wanted more, he says.

“They [the marketing team]

threw up their hands and said to “give us something better.””

After offering up the name, the marketing team was onboard and excited. Given Wolf ’s time spent in offshore and onshore oil and gas fields working with producers and water teams to help with filtration techniques, the name seems fitting.

The technology is based on the hydrocyclone, a system used to spin and separate suspended solids and oil molecules from water, and the progressive cavity pump, a system that moves fluids through a series of small cavities in a continuous process. Hydrocyclones have been used offshore for roughly 25

PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGY

years and progressive cavity pumps have been in use since the 1930s. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My offshore customers kept telling me the same problems they were having with their hydrocyclones,â&#x20AC;? Wolf says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were having to put secondary and tertiary pieces of equipment behind them to get the quality of water output they needed.â&#x20AC;?

The inefficiencies of hydrocyclones stem from their need for continuous flow. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They need constant steady state conditions,â&#x20AC;? Wolf says. To create the steady, continuous flow of water through the system, Wolf added a progressing cavity pump to create a closed treating-loop effect. Although the water coming from outside the system may feed into the hydrocyclone at inconsistent rates and pressures, the presence of the pump and the creation of a continuously pumped loop helps the hydrocyclone operate efficiently and remove suspended solids and oil molecules out of the water stream at an acceptable rate. The system is mounted on a skid and can treat up to 16,000 barrels of water per day. Recovered oil from the system is left untreated by chemicals and can be redirected directly into the separation process, according to NOV. The unit utilizes two hydrocyclones, one for desanding and another for deoiling, to create a water stream free from solids and oil.

The hydrocyclone uses the principal of centrifical force to spin a stream of water. Molecules that are lighter, or heavier than the weight of water, will be moved to the inside or outside of the stream and made available for removal. Wolf likens the process to filling up a water bucket with soap and a garden hose. Water fed from the hose that hits the edge of the bucket forces the water to spin. When soap, typically lighter than water, is added to the mix, it travels to the center of the spinning water body. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The same thing happens with oil because oil is lighter than water and it all collects in the center,â&#x20AC;? he says. In the WaterWolf system, produced water is spun within the hydrocyclone and fed with new produced water through the progressive cavity pump. The oil is then

SKID OPTIONS: The WaterWolf Dynamic Oil Recovery system combines desanding and deoiling hydrocarbons with the non-shearing action of NOV's Moyno progressing cavity pumps.

PHOTO: NOV COMPLETION & PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS

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THEBAKKEN.COM

41

PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGY

suspended into the middle of the horizontal water column and siphoned out.

“NOV actually already had a progressing cavity pump line.

We presented it [the WaterWolf idea] to the management team.

They gave us the go-ahead and some funding to get it out and run a test,” Wolf says, on his early days with NOV. After receiving great results, the team moved into the launch phase and has since deployed the system in oilfields in the Eagle Ford and Wyoming along with a handful of saltwater disposal well sites.

Operators and SWD facilities looking to produce more oil from produced water have each purchased and installed the system.

Teeth Behind WaterWolf

RECEPTIVE. RESPONSIBLE. RELIABLE. With so much on the line, these qualities are absolute in the oilfield. From our first oilfield project in 1951 and hundreds since, KLJ remains the leader in engineering, planning and surveying solutions.

Learn more about our services and explore career opportunities at kljeng.com 42

The BAKKEN MAGAZINE JUNE 2015

Despite the current oil activity slowdown, the saltwater disposal industry is still thriving. Current wells, along with new wells, all produce water that needs to be disposed. In the Bakken, the NOV team views the SWD market as a major opportunity for the deployment of the WaterWolf. They have even developed an optimized SWD facility based on the system. Because most SWD facilities remain profitable depending on the amount of crude oil recovered from the produced water before it is disposed of, the WaterWolf is attractive, NOV believes. According to Wolf, a typical saltwater well injects 20,000 barrels of produced water per day. For every 10,000 barrels of water, roughly 10 barrels of oil are present. “That means that they are losing 20 barrels of oil per day into the disposal well,” he says, if no treatment method is used.

In addition to SWD wells, NOV also believes operators looking to increase their total oil production volumes can and will install the WaterWolf. “One of the really nice things about this equipment is it is all contained on a single skid, it can be ready to run in a single day. It only needs electrical power and piping connections,” he said. The typical payback period for the system is based on chemical savings, oil recovery and the reduction of injection well maintenance, and can be recouped in roughly 9 to 10 months.

After years of listening to customer complaints about water treatment systems, Wolf says he is excited for the system’s possibilities. Both Wolf and NOV are happy with the unique name, but have already seen that clients are more enthusiastic about the technology’s performance in the field.

Author: Luke Geiver Editor, The Bakken magazine 701-738-4944 lgeiver@bbiinternational.com

WIL LLISTON STATE COLLEGE is currently acceptin ng applications for PETROLEUM PRODU UC TION TECHN NOLOGY INSTR RUCTORS S. Dettailed job descrriptions may be found at www.willlistonstate.edu/careers

All interested persons must submit the following to Human Resources, Williston State College, 1410 University Avenue, Williston, ND 58801. Application for Employment, letter of application, resume, and contact information for three professional references.

Please contact Brian Rencher at brian.rencher@willistonstate.edu with additional questions.

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The BAKKEN MAGAZINE JUNE 2015

directory.thebakken.com

MA SERIES

RECIPROCATING PUMPS

SERVING THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY The MA Series of reciprocating pumps are built for heavy, continuous duty 24-hours per day, 365-days per year applications.

Designed to handle the toughest applications; such as salt water disposal, crude oil gathering/pipelining/transfer, gas sweetening/drying, and other high pressure applications.

Compliant to API674 Standards.

ADDITIONAL SPECIFICATIONS ɒ PRGHOV DYDLODEOH ɒ ɇ +RUVHSRZHU ɒ 0HWDOOXUJLHV DYDLODEOH DUH Ductile Iron, Aluminum Bronze, Carbon Steels and a variety of Stainless Steel

MYERS APLEX SERIES ®

888-416-9513 main, 419-281-9978 fax 740 East 9th Street, Ashland, Ohio 44805 www.femyers.com

© 2015 Pentair Ltd.

MAAD-01-2-BAK

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ROCK drill site

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Q M A T. C O M 5-ACRE MAT DRILL SITE

MAT drill site

AFTER ROCK DRILL SITE

Disadvantages - Damaging native farm land - Loss work time due to unsafe work surface - Delays in drilling - Unable to access due to bad weather - Wasting unnecessary amounts of rock - Unnecessary extra cost - High reclamation expense

WORLDS LARGEST SUPPLIER

AFTER MAT DRILL SITE

Advantages - No reclamation cost - Reduce the environmental impact - Reduce the amount of rock on native farm lands - Minimize unnecessary accidents - Mats provide a safe and stable work surface - 24/7 all-weather access with no down time - Potential to drill one to two more additional wells per year - Reduce the amount of truck traffic on roads - No additional cost - Protect existing flowlines

MANUFACTURING SINCE 1974