SWDs Injectivity Enhancement

A shale play operator had been drilling, completing, and operating SWDs to dispose the water coming from its vertical and horizontal wells to reduce OPEX and improve efficiencies associated with produced water disposal. In several wells across the field, the injection rate at the max allowable surface injection pressure started to decrease sharply, affecting not only OPEX and efficiencies, but also the timing to bring new wells online.

• The injection capacity at the max allowable surface injection pressure went from5,000 bpd to about 20,000 bpd
• The operator was able to bring new wells on production without having to pay the extra costs associated with water hauling
• Remedial treatment design and execution guidelines were adopted across the field