Everything about Texas seems to be big, and Eagle Ford shale is no different. The play is geographically big, and it covers about 20,000 square miles in South-Central Texas. It also covers 25 counties. Not to mention, its expenditures were approximately $28 billion as year 2013 came to a close. Similarly, the production of a play roughly the size of the country of Croatia is nothing to sneeze at. In late 2013, Eagle Ford boasted 1 MMboe/d, beating Bakken to the chase.
Some experts predict Texas could become the world’s second largest producer of oil, just behind the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Texas oil enterprise has a small problem. In fact, it is so small it cannot be seen with the naked eye.
The Race to Research Shale Mining and Outsmart the Elements
Bacteria have been a continual problem for Eagle Ford since development began in 2008. Bacteria contribute to the growth of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a corrosive and potentially lethal gas. Additionally, bacteria have eaten away at pipelines, which further contribute to unwanted growth of H2S. It is a cycle that is difficult to break, and ongoing research efforts have not found a solution that warrants an industry standard for the midstream sector.
Additionally, high levels of paraffin wax in crude are also problematic. They leave fouling deposits in pipelines, raise maintenance costs, and eventually threaten to reduce flow. Environmental activists and operators are not particularly pleased with the amount of water use needed to sustain the operation.
New Operational Challenges Upstream and Midstream
In one sense, it is natural to assume that a relatively new industry in a new place will face unique challenges. After all, Eagle Ford has only been operational for less than five years, and it is one of the most complicated plays in North America. The geologic formations have low permeability, which prevent natural gas and oil from flowing directly to a production well. Naturally, Eagle Ford has gained ample attention in the industry due to its unconventional nature, its challenges, and its unprecedented success.
How the Midstream Sector Supports Ongoing R&D Efforts
It can be a semi Catch-22. Eagle Ford has to remain operational to fund ongoing research efforts. In the interim, prevalent issues cannot be addressed until oil and gas mining research is more advanced. Currently, shale mining research still focuses largely on the different properties and deformations of shale. Researchers have to work from the bottom up to find viable solutions for challenges associated with bacteria and water usage, literally. The midstream sector has to continue to bridge the gap between a promising domestic industry and a successful one.
Reaping Rewards While Ensuring Future Viability
The future viability of the industry at large depends on effective transportation and storage methods. Pipelines need to remain clear of deadly H2S as well as harmful bacteria that promote H2S growth, and paraffin wax cannot significantly impede flow and jeopardize safety. Ongoing research can plausibly find a substitute for water, especially when the resource is scarce. In the meantime, the shale boom continues to support the cost of Eagle Ford and other large-scale shale mining projects as well as ongoing research and development.
Joseph Barone
President
ShaleDirectories.com
610.764.1232
www.shaledirectories.com