Hydraulic fracturing, also called fracking (fracing, fraccing, frac’ing), hydrofracking and hydrofracturing, is a well stimulation technique involving the fracturing of bedrock formations by a pressurized liquid.
The process involves the high-pressure injection of 'fracking fluid' (primarily water, containing sand or other proppants suspended with the aid of thickening agents) into a wellbore to create cracks in the deep-rock formations through which natural gas, petroleum, and brine will flow more freely.
When the hydraulic pressure is removed from the well, small grains of hydraulic fracturing proppants (either sand or aluminium oxide) hold the fractures open, improving reservoir properties and dramatically increasing well production.
This cutting-edge technology can increase the production of a well by 1.5 to 30 times the initial flow rate, as well as the overall production from 5 to 15%.
One well can be re-fracked multiple times during its production life.
Hydraulic fracturing service market segment is estimated to grow up to approximately 72 Billion US dollars by 2026, that is almost twice in the next 5 years.
Now let’s take a closer look with a brief coverage from TEDEd lesson on fracking.
So, watch and learn. The pleasure is all yours.
Sources:
1. TED-Ed; July 13, 2017: [ Ссылка ]
2. Industrial Communications Expertise Compilation
YOUR QUIZ LINK:
[ Ссылка ]
Questions for Discussion:
1. When and how oil and gas were most likely formed?
2. What is the average depth of a kickoff point to start horizontal drilling?
3. How long is the average horizontal section of a well?
4. How long does it take to drill and complete a well before it is ready for frac?
5. How can fractures be created in deep formations under high pressure conditions?
6. What does the frac fluid consist of?
7. How much water is required for an average frac?
8. Give a brief description of a hydraulic fracturing operation.
9. What issues of hydraulic fracturing cannot be negligible?
10. What measure are taken to prevent and avoid any negative impact of fracturing?
Vocabulary notes (English-Russian):
once inaccessible – некогда (когда-то) недоступный
natural gas (NG) – природный газ
hydraulic fracturing, frac, fracking (редк. fracing, fraccing, frac’ing), hydrofracking, hydrofracturing – гидравлический разрыв пласта (ГРП; гидроразрыв пласта)
decaying organisms – разлагающиеся огранизмы
the Earth’s crust – земная кора
site – место (расположения), участок (скважины, куста, месторождения), буровая, площадка, куст
vertical hole (well) – вертикальная скважина
kickoff point – точка начала набора кривизны
horizontal drilling – горизонтальное бурение
shale rock formation – пласт сланцевой породы
perforating gun – (скважинный) перфоратор
fracking fluid (frack fluid) – жидкость гидроразрыва (ГРП)
chemical additives (chem adds; chemicals) – химические добавки
to fall into three (two; four etc.) categories – делиться на … категории
to clear debris – очищать от шлама
to dissolve minerals – растворять минералы
friction reducing compounds – понизители трения; соединения понижения трения
to prop open – удерживать открытым (в открытом состоянии)
proppant (propping agent) – проппант; расклинивающий агент (при ГРП)
intense pumping – интенсивная закачка; скоростной ГРП; закачка с высоким расходом при ГРП
flush – продавка; объем жидкости (финальной) стадии продавки при ГРП
flow-back (liquid) – (жидкость) отработки; обратная промывка скважины
gush up – литься потоком, извергаться
contaminant – (биологический) загрязнитель, загрязняющий агент, токсин, контаминант
underground seepage and leakage – подземные просачивания и утечки
carbon dioxide – углекислый газ, углекислота, двуокись углерода (CO2)
greenhouse gas – газ, усиливающий парниковый эффект; парниковый газ
to fall short – не оправдывать (ожиданий); не достаточно отвечать; сослужить плохую службу; терпеть неудачу
overarching effect – всеобъемлющий эффект
cutting-edge technology – передовая технология
