HOUSTON, Sept. 28, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fairmount Santrol announces today at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) the company's self-suspending proppant technology in initial field trials and resin-coated sand are continuing to reduce the cost per barrel of oil equivalent (BOE) while producing more oil and gas. This better well performance underscores the advantages of stimulating wells with Fairmount Santrol's engineered proppant that increases hydraulic fracturing efficiency.
On the first day of the conference, the company is presenting a technical paper, Self-Suspending Proppant Transport Technology Increases Stimulated Reservoir Volume. The paper highlights how this proppant and fluid system maximizes the effective fracture half-length more efficiently than slickwater and crosslinked gel-based fluids, which damage the proppant pack and formation. Applying self-suspending proppant, some operators in initial field trials are recording hydrocarbon production increases of greater than 50% within 6 months.
Throughout the three-day conference, the company will be discussing the latest resin-coated sand field results. In the Bakken formation, PowerProp® precured resin-coated sand in 3 horizontal wells increased average production 67% after 7 months based on better conductivity compared with a competitor's ceramic proppant in 2 horizontal wells.
In the Permian Basin's Wolfberry Play, OptiProp G2® curable resin-coated sand recorded approximately $4.3 million greater well NPV in 14 horizontal wells after 9 months compared with 15 other horizontal wells completed with a competitor's resin-coated sand, a competitor's ceramic proppant, and frac sand wells. OptiProp curable resin-coated sand eliminated proppant flowback and embedment to maintain superior fracture width.
In the Permian Basin's Wolfberry Play, Super LC® curable resin-coated sand increased average production approximately 460% in 6 vertical wells after 9 months by setting in the fractures to form a tough proppant pack, ensuring proppant flowback prevention, compared with 8 vertical wells completed with frac sand.
"We're continuing to document compelling well performance that supports completions with resin-coated sand and self-suspending proppant," said Nick Johnson, vice president of Marketing. "These performance examples underscore the value of choosing innovative proppant technology manufactured to the highest industry standards."
Fairmount Santrol oilfield professionals will also be demonstrating an interactive display in booth 3615 during the three-day conference at the George R. Brown Convention Center. The display allows customers to choose the best proppant for a specific well application.
About Fairmount Santrol
Fairmount Santrol is a leading provider of high-performance sand and sand-based products used by oil and gas exploration and production companies to enhance the productivity of their wells. The Company also provides high-quality products, strong technical leadership and applications knowledge to end users in the foundry, building products, water filtration, glass, and sports and recreation markets. Its global logistics capabilities include a wide-ranging network of distribution terminals and thousands of rail cars that allow the Company to effectively serve customers wherever they operate. As one of the nation's longest continuously operating mining organizations, Fairmount Santrol has developed a strong commitment to all three pillars of sustainable development, People, Planet and Prosperity. Correspondingly, the Company's motto and action orientation is: "Do Good. Do Well." For more information, please visit FairmountSantrol.com.