Jim Van Blaricum - RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS JURISDICTION
Generally, under Texas Natural Resources Code, Title 3, and Texas Water Code, Chapters 26 and 27, the Railroad Commission of Texas (Commission) has jurisdiction activities associated with the exploration, development, or production of oil or gas or geothermal resources, including transportation of crude oil or natural gas by pipeline. The Commission also has jurisdiction over surface mining for coal, uranium, and iron ore gravel. Jim Van Blaricum
JIM VAN BLARICUM - USE OF FRESH WATER IN ASSOCIATION WITH OIL AND GAS ACTIVITIES
Water is used in association with many oil and gas activities, including use (in general order of relative volume) as a supplemental fluid in enhanced recovery of petroleum resources; during drilling and completion of an oil or gas well; during workover of an oil or gas well; during solution of underground salt in brine mining or hydrocarbon storage cavern creation; as gas plant cooling and boiler water; as hydrostatic test water for pipelines and tanks; as rig wash water; as coolant for internal combustion engines for rigs, compressors, and other equipment; for sanitary purposes; and for laboratory purposes.
The largest volume of water is used in enhanced recovery. The following table indicates injected volumes of total fluids (produced water, fresh makeup water, and other fluids) relative to estimates of total injected volumes of fresh water. Note that the trend for using fresh injection makeup water is declining. Most fresh water is injected for enhanced recovery in Commission Districts 8 and 8A in West Texas. The 1996 estimate for fresh water injected for those two districts was 252 million barrels. Jim Van Blaricum
The next largest volume of water is used during the drilling and completion of oil and gas wells. Water is used during drilling for drilling fluid preparation and make-up water, for completion fluids, including cementing, in well stimulation, as rig wash water, as coolant for internal combustion engines; and for sanitary purposes. Jim Van Blaricum
Fresh water is used in oil and gas well stimulation. Stimulation methods include acidizing and/or fracturing. In order to be able to produce gas at volumes and rates that are economical, reservoirs with low permeability must be treated. One method of treatment to increase permeability is fracture treatment or “fracing.” Conventional fracture technology increases permeability as a result of pumping frac fluid, which generally consists of a viscous gelled fluid, and which creates an increase in the available surface area by creating fractures that are “propped up” or held open by the propping agents in the frac fluid. Jim Van Blaricum
Hydraulic fracturing consists of pumping into the formation large volumes of fresh water that generally has been treated with a friction reducer, surfactant and clay stabilizer, and that contains sand. Hydraulic fracturing maximizes the horizontal length of the fracture while minimizing the vertical fracture height. The fractures, which are held open by the sand, result in increased surface area, which further results in increases in the desorption of the gas from the shale and increases in the mobility of the gas. The result is lower completion costs and faster recovery of a larger volume of the gas-in-place. The volumes injected during hydraulic fracturing treatment can range from 70,000 barrels in a vertical well to over 90,000 barrels in a horizontal well. Fracing, where necessary, generally takes place immediately after drilling and periodically during the life of the well. Jim Van Blaricum
