The failure of rock during oil and gas extraction is a major problem. Sand particles under the flows required to extract hydrocarbons can cause blockages in pumping equipment, reducing extraction efficiency shortening equipment life, and therefore increasing operational costs.
Glass Technology Services (GTS) has been working in the field of soluble glasses for many years. They are currently mainly used in the biomedical sector for the controlled release of minerals and nutrients to stimulate bone and tissue regeneration. Similar glasses have potential for the modification of rocks and cements in the oil and gas industry.
The OGTC has worked with GTS to identify glass products that have the potential to be deployed in oil and gas wells to enhance wellbore stability. These soluble glass materials react with fluids and formation to consolidate rock formations either allowing or preventing the flow of formation fluids.
Industry Value
Glass solutions can be used to stabilise sandstones whilst retaining permeability and sealing sandstone.
The Oil and Gas Authority estimates the average cost of a development well to be £23 million with NPT accounting for approximately 25% (£5.75 million) of these costs for platform wells, with equipment and casing, and cement and mud accounting for a further 18% of well costs.
Assuming the application of soluble glass treatment could save 10-20% of this time the savings per deployment in NPT alone will be in the region of £0.5-1 million per well. There would also be associated savings from reduced rig, equipment and cementing costs (approx. £0.8 million, at 20% saving).
56 development wells were completed in 2017 and with the OGA estimating that 2,000-3,000 new wells are needed to meet MER UK requirements, 120-150 new wells will be required per year for the next 15-20 years, giving a minimum saving of over £60 million per year.
Other potential applications of soluble glass treatment are aimed at reducing production losses in existing wells through prevention of sand and water production. The 2018 OGA Insights Report states that 7% of production losses (2.3 mmboe) are due to sand and water production and that intervention is only successful in 50% of cases. Assuming that this technology could overcome these unsuccessful interventions caused by sand and water, this technology has potential to significantly increase this success rate with the potential to extract oil worth approximately £50 million per year (Assumes 1.15 mmboe restored at $56/bbl and 1GBP-1.3USD).
Technology Organisation
Glass Technology Services Ltd
GTS is a provider of analysis, mechanical and performance testing, due dilligence support and quality assessment, failure analysis and both research and development and technocal consultancy projects - specialising in glass and glass products.
http://www.glass-ts.com
Technology Organisation
Glass Technology Services Ltd
GTS is a provider of analysis, mechanical and performance testing, due dilligence support and quality assessment, failure analysis and both research and development and technocal consultancy projects - specialising in glass and glass products.
http://www.glass-ts.com