Advances in the Oil and Natural Gas Exploration

The oil and natural gas industry has transformed into one of the most technologically advanced industries in the United States. Over the past thirty years, new innovations have reshaped the industry into a technology leader. Because of the technological innovation in the exploration and production, the industry has been able to keep up with the rising demand. The production of natural gas is constantly becoming more efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly. Natural gas deposits are being found deeper in the ground in more remote and sometimes inhospitable areas. New technological advances have provided the equipment necessary to produce natural gas in challenging environments in order to keep up with the industry production pace.
Some highlights of technological development in exploration and production include: 22,000 fewer wells needed annually to develop the same amount of reserves as were developed in 1985; drilling wastes have decreased by as much as 148 million barrels due to increased well productivity and fewer wells which is useful for drilling in sensitive areas; the use of modular drilling rigs and slimhole drilling reducing the size of drilling rigs, in turn, reducing surface impact; less reliance on explosives needed, reducing the impact on the environment.

Some major recent technological innovations in exploration and production are included here. 3-D and 4-D Seismic Imaging is the technology advance using traditional seismic imaging techniques, combined with powerful computers and processors, to create a 3-D model of the subsurface layers. The 4-D seismology allows exploration teams to observe subsurface changes over time. Because of 3-D and 4-D seismic imaging, teams can now identify natural gas prospects more easily, place wells more effectively, reduce the number of dry holes drilled, reduce drilling costs, and cut exploration time. CO2-Sand Fracturing Techniques have been used since the 1970s to help increase the flow rate of natural gas and oil from underground formations. CO2-Sand fracturing involves using a mixture of sand propants and liquid CO2 to fracture formations, creating and enlarging cracks through which oil and natural gas may flow more freely. After the CO2 vaporizes, only sand is left in the formation, holding the newly enlarged cracks open. Coiled Tubing technologies replace the traditional rigid, jointed drill pipe with a long, flexible coiled pipe string. Measurement While Drilling (MWD) systems allow for the collection of data from the bottom of a well as it is being drilled. This improves drilling efficiency and accuracy in the drilling process, allows better formation evaluation as the drill bit encounters the underground formation, and reduces the chance of formation damage and blowouts. Slimhole Drilling is exactly as it sounds, drilling a slimmer hole in the ground to get to natural gas and oil deposits. This technological advance can significantly improve the efficiency of drilling operations, as well as decrease its environmental impact. Natural gas and oil deposits are being found at locations that are deeper and deeper underwater. Whereas Offshore Drilling Operations can be among the most risky and dangerous undertakings, new technology, including improved offshore drilling rigs, dynamic positioning devices and sophisticated navigation systems are allowing safe, efficient offshore drilling in waters more than 10,000 feet deep.

The above technological advancements provide only a snapshot of the increasingly sophisticated technology being developed. New technologies and applications are being developed constantly, and serve to improve the economics of producing natural gas, allow for the production of deposits formerly considered too unconventional or uneconomic to develop, and ensure that the supply of natural gas keeps up with steadily increasing demand. Sufficient domestic natural gas resources exist to help companies like Triple Diamond Energy Corporation to fuel the U.S. for a significant period of time, and advancements in technology play a huge role in providing low-cost, environmentally sound methods of extracting these resources.