EnerCorp enables Permian operator to save 26% on the day rate with eFlowback, compared to Flowback 2.0
Location: Permian Basin
The Problem
EnerCorp and a Permian operator were both looking to take the next step in flowback technology to see how we could further automate and digitally transform the process. The operator, a leader in using fit-for-purpose technology, had a similar vision to EnerCorp, and was motivated by their goals to reduce environmental exposure, improve safety for personnel on site, optimize the workforce, and reduce unnecessary damages to their production facility.
Prior to a new solution, the operator was using the following setup with Flowback 2.0 on a four well pad:
- 4 Sahara Advanced Cyclones
- 4 daytime and 4 nighttime personnel per well per day
In addition, quantifying sand was a manual and laborious process. The team had to hold chokes in order to determine the sand rate, which limited the production and didn’t produce an accurate weight measurement.
The Solution
Together with the operator’s partnership, the EnerCorp engineering team designed an autonomous solution for flowback that could help them and all customers reach their production and optimization goals. This research and development process involved stringent risk assessments and hazardous operations studies.
EnerCorp conducted field testing on the client's wells for more than a year in order to arrive at the eFlowback solution as it exists today. We built trust with the client and ensured we were solving the challenges most pressing to them by involving them in the critical stages of the design process.
When deciding how to fully automate the solution, EnerCorp determined the redundancies, acceptable risk, detection systems, and telemetry required to create a true autonomous ecosystem. The operator was instrumental in this development as they partnered with EnerCorp to establish the risk tolerance that was required for their top-tier safety culture.
The end solution? eFlowback.
eFlowback, which combines automation, measurement systems, and cloud-based software, enables operators to enter the next level of flowback.
EnerCorp is the pioneer of eFlowback, leading the industry as the only company to create an entire highly engineered ecosystem — not single point solutions — that can enable operators to fully automate their flowback process.
The Results
eFlowback enabled the Permian operator to save 26% on the day rate for a four-well pad, as compared to their costs using Flowback 2.0 (which already saves clients 38% over traditional non-engineered solutions).
With eFlowback, operators receive complete transparency: every alert is logged and seen by their personnel. If there are any issues during flowback, personnel can find the root cause of the issue using the logs in order to properly move forward.
eFlowback can scale dramatically to accommodate the operator's growth. The organization can optimize their job force as opposed to being exposed to the market risks of using contractors, conducting higher quality work with the right amount of personnel. This not only affects their bottom line, but also attracts high-calibre employees that want to work on engineered fit-for-purpose solutions.
Through eFlowback, Operators can:
Optimize the workforce by reducing the number of personnel to one per location (compared to four with Flowback 2.0), and thereby lowering HSE exposure.- Gain efficiency of operation and accurately weigh 800 lbs of sand with the Sand Quantification Unit at one time, compared to 50 lbs as done previously.
- Minimize high-exposure tasks such as auto-dumping sand from the cyclone. This task is now fully automated, which eliminates the potential for human exposure.
- Eliminate limits on their choke schedule and blowdowns as compared to what can be done manually. There is no need to hold chokes at certain sand rates because eFlowback captures and weighs exceptionally high quantities of sand.
- Gain consistent data collection, such as sand quantity and choke position. This helps make better decisions on how to open the wells. Accurate data collection also helps the customer correlate completions and flowback. The data collected is safe and secure at all times.
- Improve environmental security by safeguarding against any leaks to the atmosphere and the surrounding environment.
