Fracking, Proppant, And Water

Disclaimer: I often make simple arithmetic errors. 

This updates previous posts on the same subject.

This is mostly for newbies, but feedback from those in the field will tell me how far off I am.

This is my 30-second "elevator talk" regarding completion strategies in the Bakken right now.

Length of laterals:

• the standard is a "long lateral"; some call it an "extended reach";
• two sections "long"
• about 9,000 feet horizontally

Number of stages:

• 50
• less than 40 catches my attention; suggests something out of the ordinary; I check the sundry forms to see if there might be an explanation; below 20, "definitely" a failed frack
• up to 60, occasionally
• over 60, catches my attention

Water (gallons, data from FracFocus):

• 8 million to 12 million gallons; generally 10 million gallons
• less than 8 million gallons gets my attention
• up to 12 million gallons doesn't necessarily surprise me; 
• up to 20 million gallons definitely gets my attention

Water (by percent, weight, data from FracFocus):

• 86%
• below 84% gets my attention
• above 90% really gets my attention

Sand/ceramic (by percent, weight, data from FracFocus):

• 14%
• for all practical purposes, the difference between 100% and water volume by weight
• a very small percent of overall mix is the proprietary "cocktail" to help "lubricate" the movement of oil to the well bore
• generally about 14%
• above 16% gets my attention
• below 10% really gets may attention

Middle Bakken vs Three Forks

• perhaps the Three Forks requires less water, less sand/ceramic

Sand/ceramic per stage

• 10 million lbs / 50 stages = 200,000 lbs/stage

Sand/ceramic per foot (which most folks like to use)

• 10 million lbs / 9,000 feet = 1,100 lbs / foot (about half what they are using in the Permian, based on what Mike Filloon posts)

To determine amount of sand, until the official report comes out, using data from FracFocus:

• a gallon of water = 8.35 pounds
• calculate amount of water in pounds (e.g., 10 million gallons x 8.35 pounds = 83.5 million lbs)
• if weight of water in percentage is 86%, then 14% (by weight) is sand/ceramic
• ask yourself: if 86% is percentage weight of water in total frack, how much was total completion mix (water + sand/ceramic)?

• example:
• 86% of the total frack was water by weight
• water weighed 84 million lbs
• 86% of what = 84 million lbs 
• what = 84 / 0.86 = 97 million lbs
• continuing
• 14% of the total frack was sand/ceramic by weight
• 14% of 97 million lbs = 14 million lbs sand/ceramic 
• I think my method works but my thinking could be faulty
• This would be an estimation only

Checking my work:

• in my example, total frack mix (water + sand/ceramic) = 97 million lbs
• 86% of that was water, or 83 million lbs
• 83 million lbs of water / 8.35 pounds (per gallon of water) = 10 million gallons, and that's where we started 

********************************

Real World Example

Let's see how well the information above works. We will look at this well that came off the confidential list June 28, 2018, FracFocus data embedded:

• 30230, 1,006, Nine Point Energy, Simpson 151-102-5-8-4H, Elk, t1/18; cum 65K 5/18; taken off line as of 5/18 after strong production; FracFocus data: fracked 11/11/17 - 12/9/17; 13.291 million gallons of water; 91.46% water; sand, 8.2%;

Calculations:

• 13.291 million gallons x 8.35 pounds = 110.98 million lbs
• 91.46% of what = 110.98 million lbs
• total frack mix weighed: 121.3425 million lbs
• of that, 0.082 x 121.3425 = 9.95 million lbs sand
• 9.95 million lbs / 200,000 lbs = 49.75 = 50 stages

Let's look at the frack report in the NDIC file report for this well, #30230:

• 50 stages; 10.02 pounds sand (7 million lbs mesh; 3 million lbs medium)