PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGY
gas industry—not just an incremental improvement—which brings many benefits to producers, but without requiring drastic changes in the way producers operate,” says Dockter.
Praxair Utilizes CO2
Unlike Expansion Energy’s waterless technology, Praxair’s DryFrac waterless fracking technology replaces water with liquid carbon dioxide to fracture new wells and for enhanced oil recovery. A blender mixes carbon dioxide and proppant together, the mixture is then pumped at high pressure through frack pumps. “Our technology increases the conventional water blender with a blender that mixes pure carbon dioxide with the sand in precise concentrations necessary for fracturing,” says Mark Weise, business development director of oil and gas services for Praxair.
FINDING A NICHE: Jeremy Dockter and his team's experience in cryogenics and the processing of gases has led to the development of VRGE. PHOTO: EXPANSION ENERGY
According to Weise, the DryFrac waterless technology is exciting for the industry because, “It provides a practical means to use a dry fracturing fluid.” “It maximizes the productivity of the well and it will improve the sustainability of the offering because you don’t
need to source the water and you don’t have to worry about processing the frack water that flows back,” says Weise. “From reliability and a safety point of view, carbon dioxide is a nonflammable gas and therefore it eliminates some of those safety hazards that might be associated with other types of technologies that eliminate water from the fracturing process.” Praxair conceptualized the idea a few years ago, and has since worked to build the equipment and run it through a pilot testing phase before finally proving it down hole with the carbon dioxide and sand mixtures. The equipment controls were the main components needed to make the process a reality, Weise says. Unlike Expansion Energy’s VRGE approach, Praxair’s DryFrac technology is being used in the field, however, the technology has not been used in the Bakken yet.
“It’s certainly an area that everybody has their eyes on,” Weise says. “Right now, we’ve found a reception where people have been looking at being concerned with the water sensitive oil formations out there. The Bakken, I think, would meet those criteria as well.” Author: Emily Aasand Staff Writer, The Bakken magazine 701-738-4976 eaasand@bbiinternational.com
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