A Tight Gas Sand Saga Adapting to High Density Population in High Density Drilling Areas

Scot A. Donato
Bill Barrett Corporation, Denver, CO

Exploration and production of oil and gas resources in tight gas sand areas presents some unique opportunities for operators. Reservoir characteristics in tight gas sand areas typically require a tighter than normal borehole density and increased infrastructure for efficient mineral extraction. Many of these tight gas sand areas are in populated areas and residents with severed mineral rights, which is common, typically prefer less rather than more oil and gas activity and disturbance. Because of these issues, concerns related to well pads, pipelines, view shed, noise, air emissions/odors, and ground-water protection, are an ever increasing opportunity for new and innovative remedies.

Intensive pre-drilling planning efforts including the use of some innovative tools help to facilitate a more efficient project implementation and make it more acceptable to neighbors. Innovative tools utilized in this process include the use of aerial photography, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) surveys with digital mapping systems, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for delineating on the ground planning including, seismic data acquisition, drilling, production, and compression facilities, and pipelines. The creative use of existing technologies such as; multi-well pads, closed-loop mud systems, multi-well production units, centralized compression/dehydration, large diameter-low pressure pipelines and intensive reclamation methods help to reduce on-the-ground impacts. In addition, the use of high-grade noise mufflers, vapor combustors, recycled drilling fluids, and pre and post-activity ground-water monitoring, can diminish many concerns of residents in the area.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90039©2005 AAPG Calgary, Alberta, June 16-19, 2005