Forward-thinking mining companies are always searching for ways to improve their operations and increase efficiency. One way to do this is through the use of hydraulic stimulation.
This often-misunderstood process offers a range of benefits including increased production, better safety and cost saving. In this article we’ll explore the stimulation process and its benefits in more detail.
What is hydraulic stimulation?
Hydraulic stimulation involves high-pressure injections of liquids into underground shale formations to recover minerals. The injection of fluids creates small fissures or fractures which release trapped minerals such as natural gas or oil which then flow into the well.
Stimulation is typically done in conjunction with horizontal or directional drilling and provides improved access to mineral deposits. Stimulation is usually performed once a well has been drilled both vertically and horizontally to the desired depths where the target resources are located.
Once the stimulation process has been completed, the fluids are recovered and the well is sealed, it will be ready to be used for the ongoing production of resources.
What are some benefits of hydraulic stimulation?
Hydraulic stimulation provides a range of significant economic benefits, from job creation to lowering energy prices for consumers. Let’s check out some of these benefits in more detail.
Job creation
Hydraulic stimulation creates jobs in Australia’s resources industry by allowing companies to accelerate their production of oil and gas and expand their operations into previously inaccessible areas. In the United States, which experienced an industry boom in the 2010s, hundreds of thousands of jobs were created and billions of dollars added to the national economy.
Lower air pollution
As hydraulic stimulation can increase capabilities in producing natural gas, by extension it also reduces the need to rely on outdated or inefficient mines for the production of electricity. Natural gas power plants produce minimal emissions when compared to coal, greatly reducing local air pollution, and only producing around half of the CO2 of coal power plants.
Lower energy prices
Increased domestic production of natural gas means consumers enjoy
lower prices when it comes time to pay the energy bills. This also makes
Australia less reliant on imports for critical resources and ensures our energy economy is better protected from fluctuations in pricing due to things happening overseas.
Advantages of hydraulic stimulation over other methods
One of the biggest advantages hydraulic stimulation provides is the capability to rapidly and cost-effectively diversify production of resources like oil and gas. In combination with directional drilling, stimulation techniques provide access to resources that were previously thought either totally inaccessible or prohibitively costly to mine.
With modern drilling technology, lateral boreholes can be drilled at a much faster rate than in years gone by — a horizontal hole hundreds of metres long — or longer — can be drilled in a matter of days, meaning wells can be completed and operational much more quickly than before, again improving local supply and bringing down costs.
Long term thinking: hydraulic stimulation in the future
As with many other industries, the mining industry is being impacted by rapid advancements in modern technology. Smarter mining methods are being established with the assistance of new technologies such as machine learning and the Internet of Things (IoT). These technologies can be implemented to increase site automation, improve safety controls and reduce costs.
For hydraulic stimulation specifically, modern tech is providing gains in efficiency, quicker completions of wells and increased productivity, leading to higher per-rig outputs — in the US, huge leaps in shale oil production have been achieved by a significantly lower number of drill rigs. The time to drill and complete a well can be cut by as much as 40-50%, or even more, according to some producers.
Advanced drill rigs allow drillers better controls, targeting the most valuable areas of a mineral formation. And as the rigs are more powerful and more efficient than ever, longer lateral holes can be drilled in shorter time frames and recover more resources per well.
Want to learn more?
Hydraulic stimulation offers a range of productivity and economical benefits that make it an advantageous option for mining projects. If you’re interested in learning more about hydraulic stimulation services, get in touch with us today.
