24th Jun 2014 08:18
LONDON (Alliance News) - Oilex Ltd Tuesday said fracking operations have started at its major Cambay-77H well in the Cambay Basin, Gujarat, India.
The oil and gas exploration and development company said the equipment from Schlumberger Ltd for the fracking programme has all been mobilised, set up and tested on the site, while a range of other key installations and tests have been made to be ready for the programme.
During preparations, the company said it saw a pressure increase of roughly 800 pounds per square inch at surface immediately after initial stage 1 perforation, which confirmed its successful access to the reservoir.
Oilex said that a steady rise in pressure was seen, and it has set up precautionary flow back equipment as the fracking process moves forward.
The company said a Stage 1 'data frac' of roughly 500 barrels of fluid to assess rock properties will be followed by the Stage 1 'main frac' where roughly 4,100 barrels of frac fluid and roughly 136 tonnes of proppant will be pumped into the formation. Proppant is a solid material, such as sand, used to keep an induced fracture open.
Cambay-77H is located adjacent to the Cambay-76H horizontal well that underwent a successful multiple-staged fracture stimulation programme along its 633m lateral section in 2012 but was suspended prior to testing due to downhole mechanical problems. Oilex said the Cambay-77H well design incorporates all of the key operational and technical learnings that have arisen from a forensic engineering analysis of Cambay-76H by multiple expert parties.
Oilex shares were up 5.6% to 7.47 pence early Tuesday.
By Tom McIvor; [email protected]; @TomMcIvor1
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