EPI technology update. Best wishes to our community for a happy and prosperous 2019 🌲

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We continue focusing on research, engineering, and consulting-advising.

During 2018, EPI pursued improving the efficiency of hydraulic fracturing for the recovery of oil/gas from unconventional resources.

A technical presentation was given by Sidney Green at the 52nd US Rock Mechanics/ Geomechanics ARMA Symposium (www.epirecovery.com/news June, 2018) and an abstract has been submitted for presentation at ARMA 2019. Stay tuned for details.

Geothermal energy heating a pool, Iceland.

Also during 2018, EPI continued development of the Geothermal Battery Energy Storage concept in collaboration with the Idaho National Laboratory and Prof. McLennan at the Univ. of Utah. Further funding for the concept is expected in early 2019 from the National Science Foundation via the Univ. of Utah with Co-Principal Investigators Prof. McLennan and Sidney Green.

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EPI Presents on Cluster Spacing Effects at 52nd ARMA Conference in Seattle

June 1, 2018

”Early Time Fracture Growth and Cluster Spacing Effects” by S. Green, G. Xu, B. Forbes, J. McLennan, G. Green, D. Work is accepted for the ARMA Annual Symposium in Seattle.  Sidney Green will present the paper during the podium presentation, Tuesday June 19th, in the Technical Session track - Hydraulic Fracturing Geomechanics II.

ABSTRACT: The injection of large quantities of treating fluid and proppants during fracture stimulation of low permeability formations causes local insitu stress changes, sometimes referred to as stress shadowing or stress interference. Recent procedures for improving production have led to closer spacing of clusters, from approximately 80 feet spacing a few years ago to about 20 feet spacing now, or less in some cases. That is, there are now about four times the number of potential fracture initiation locations (clusters) per foot of lateral well, while the sand pumped per foot of lateral continues at about 1700-1800 pounds per foot. With four times the number of clusters and the same mass of sand pumped, the stress disturbance of one cluster to another cluster has changed. This paper addresses the near wellbore stress interference effects for close cluster spacing. Numerical simulations are presented using a robust linear-elastic 3-D hydraulic fracturing computer code that calculates fracture ‘bending’ and fracture width change due to stress interference. The stress interference that changes the fracture width is the most significant because the resistance to fracture fluid flow at high velocities in these narrow channels is the primary driver of stress shadowing fracture geometry changes. Continue..

EPI Presents at US Association of Energy Economics, 22nd Annual Washington Energy Policy Conference "Energy Technologies and Innovations..."

April 23, 2018

Sidney Green recently presented at George Washington University at the US Association of Energy Economics, National Capital Area Chapter, 22nd Annual Washington Energy Policy Conference on "Energy Technologies and Innovations:  A Disturbance in the [Market] Force". 

He served on the Panel "Hydrocarbons Strike Back:  Innovations to Maintain the Status Quo", and presented "Upstream Innovations in Shale Production".  His Panel remarks can be read here.

🍂 Fall 2017 Updates

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October, 2017

Zhaofeng Zhang, General Manager of CNPC GreatWall Drilling and Dr. GenSheng Li, VP of China University of Petroleum Beijing, and member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and others visit EPI for geothermal energy discussions. 

China is pursuing significant research with the goal of increasing geothermal efficiency and the new concept of Geothermal Battery Energy Storage. China University of Petroleum and EPI agreed to pursue a joint drilling improvement cooperation, and an MOU is being developed.

New White Papers 

Meaningful fracture calculations... 

click to download full paper

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EPI and FrackOptima meet to discuss wellbore simulation analysis.

September, 2017

EPI brings in Dr. Alex Xu, developer and President of FrackOptima to present at the University of Utah, Energy & Geoscience Institute on the details of using simulation analysis software prior to in situ production....

EPI staff and Alex Xu.

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Cracking the code in tight shale

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From the article: "Despite not fully understanding the basic physics of fluid flowing through shale rocks, industry has nonetheless found a way to recover the oil."

August 9, 2017

Upstream Technology Magazine publishes an interview with Sid Green at EPI discussing factors effecting shale oil recovery.

Despite not fully understanding the basic physics of fluid flowing through shale rocks, industry has nonetheless found a way to recover the oil. Cracking the code in tight shale.

Oil moves through shale rocks, even though the physical structure of such rocks suggests it should not. That is only one of the confusing aspects to consider when developing the shale oil plays, according to experts in the rock mechanics field….

Has energy storage kept pace with renewable technology?

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June 25, 2017

Solar energy, and to a lesser extent wind energy, have moved ahead of the ability to manage their intermittent nature without similar growth in cost effective energy storage.

On June 24, Sidney Green chaired a meeting on large-scale energy storage that could be used to support solar and wind electricity.  The meeting was supported by the National Science Foundation, Geothermal Energy SedHeat Program with cooperation of the American Rock Mechanics Association. 

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The small invited group considered a concept of solar thermal underground energy storage. 

Underground storage competes with surface heat storage in tanks, and is more complicated then surface storage in some ways.  However, for large-scale Gigawatt hours of energy storage, underground storage may be more practical and cost effective at least in some situations.

The full Report is available online here.

Dr. Sau-Wai Wong at EPI

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June 7, 2017

EPI hosted Dr. Sau-Wai Wong, geomechanics expert and consultant June 6-7, 2017.  Dr. Wong during his EPI visit, spoke at the SPE Salt Lake Section meeting June 7th. His presentation, "Past Achievements and Recent Research Activities in Petroleum Geomechanics" described key achievements in practical petroleum geomechanics over the past few years. The SPE meeting was held at the University of Utah EGI office in Research Park. 

Dinner afterwards. Sau-Wai Wong, Sid Green, John McLennan

Sidney Green keynote speaker at Poland's Future Energy Conference

Sidney Green a keynote speaker at the Future Energy Conference at Gdańsk University of Technology in Gdańsk, Poland on June 22, 2017.

"Unlocking the Energy Elephant", SedHeat 2017

SedHeat workshop #4, "Unlocking the Energy Elephant" was held at the University of Utah, March 1-4.  The workshop focused on geothermal energy in high-temperature sedimentary basins. 

Closing Comments by Sidney Green

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US sets the pace in reducing electric sector co2 emissions. Wall Street Journal 3-7-2017

John McLennan Co-Organizer of SedHeat Geothermal Workshop

John McLennan is a Co-Organizer of the SedHeat Workshop supported by the National Science Foundation.  The Workshop is on geothermal energy recovery from sedimentary basins, and is the fourth in the SedHeat series.  The Workshop at the University of Utah is an update since the last meeting in 2016 and will provide conclusions regarding the potential for geothermal energy recovery from sedimentary basins.  Sidney Green, also serves on the Organizing Committee. 

            Learn More  -- Register  -- Workshop Agenda

EPI to buy TerraTek / Schlumberger drilling simulator laboratory equipment

February 24, 2017

Purchase to take place in 2017. Jump to the Press release.

John McLennan Geothermal Paper Published

"Geothermal Energy--Challenges for EGS Development: An Editorial Perspective", J. McLennan, J. Moore, and R. Allis, Hydraulic Fracturing Journal, Vol. 4-No. 1, Jan 2017

Sidney Green Invited Speaker at SPE Section Meeting

December, 2016

Sidney Green was the invited speaker for the Utah Section of the Society of Petroleum Engineers' annual meeting. His presentation, "Shale Production Surprises:  It’s All About the Rock", was well received with over sixty people attending.

            Learn More--Powerpoint Slides