GEOSYNTHETICS

The Positive Cost Benefits TenCate Geosynthetics Provide Whiting Petroleum In The Bakken

John HerrmannTenCate GeosyntheticsMarket Development Manager – Oil & Gasj.herrmann@tencate.com

Reduced Well Pad & Access Road Construction Costs

$76,000

31%

GEOSYNTHETICS

Soft Soils

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The Fix?

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Soft Soils

Area stabilized with RS580i

GEOSYNTHETICS

2014 ASCE Shale Energy Engineering ConferenceThe Positive Environmental and Cost Impact of Geosynthetics

in Well Pad and Access Road Construction

Bruce A. Lacina1, P.E., M.ASCE, John D. Herrmann2, AffM.ASCE, and Monte Madsen3

1Roadway Reinforcement Technical Manager, TenCate Geosynthetics Americas, 365 S. Holland Dr., Pendergrass, GA 30567, U.S.A., E-mail: b.lacina@tencate.com 2Market Development Manager – Oil & Gas, TenCate Geosynthetics Americas, 637 Avondale Dr., St. Peters, MO 63376, U.S.A., E-mail: j.herrmann@tencate.com 3Completions Engineering Team Lead, Whiting Petroleum Corporation, 1700 Broadway, Suite 2300, Denver, CO 80290, U.S.A., E-mail: monte.madsen@whiting.com ABSTRACT: The incorporation of high strength geosynthetics provide numerous benefits to oil and gas producers and the engineering consultants tasked with designingtheir well pads and access roads. This paper will present examples of the positiveenvironmental impact and cost benefit high strength geosynthetics provide WhitingPetroleum Corporation in the Williston Basin of North Dakota and Montana, alongwith an example of a gas well pad and access road in central Pennsylvania stabilizedwith the same geosynthetic.

What Functions Do Geosynthetics Serve in Roadways?

Separation

Filtration

Drainage

Confinement

Reinforcement

Separation

Filtration & Drainage

Confinement

Reinforcement

Let’s look at today’s geosynthetics

High flow rateFine filtrationHigh elongation

Low strength to weight ratioCan clog or blind in roadway applications

Nonwoven Geotextiles

Clogging & Blinding

Clogging Blinding

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17 | Presentation title

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Good separator fabricHigher strength than nonwovensLow elongation

Poor flow and filtration

Slit Film Woven Geotextiles

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High tensile modulusSuperior damage resistanceGood for paved & unpaved roads

Filtration decreases as strength increases

Woven High Performance Polypropylene Geotextiles

HP Geotextiles

Hydraulic PropertiesHP570 – Flow Rate = 30 gal/min/sfHP270 – Flow Rate = 50 gal/min/sf600X – Flow Rate = 4 gal/min/sf

Tensile Strength at @ 2% StrainHP570 – 1,320 lbs/ftHP270 – 588 lbs/ft500X – 450 lbs/ft

SeparationAOS 30 US Std Sieve (0.60 mm)

HP Geotextiles: Tensile Strength vs. Flow Rates

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

HP270 HP370 HP570 HP770

Flow

Rat

e (l/

min

/m2 )

Tens

ile S

tren

gth

@ 2

% S

trai

n (k

N/m

)

Tensile Strength

Flow Rate

Used in base reinforcement Good for lateral restraintProvide confinement & reinforcement

Does not offer filtrationDoes not offer separation

Polypropylene Geogrids

GEOSYNTHETICS

Varies

Geosynthetic Functions

Nonwoven

Slit Film Woven

Geogrid

High Performance Woven

Separation Filtration Drainage Confinement Reinforcement

Industry dilemma: One geosynthetic can’t do it all

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TenCate Mirafi® RSi-Series

GEOSYNTHETICS

Varies

Geosynthetic Functions

Nonwoven

Slit Film Woven

Geogrid

High Performance Woven

RSi Series

Separation Filtration Drainage Confinement Reinforcement

GEOSYNTHETICS

Product Comparisons

RS580i HP570 BXG120

Ultimate XD 4800 4800 1970

2% XD 1800 1320 620

5% XD 4380 2700 1340

AOS 40 30 NA

Flow Rate 75 30 NA

Permittivity 1.0 0.4 NA

Ci 0.90 0.85 0.80

GEOSYNTHETICS

Poor Filtration – Typical Woven Geotextile

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Excellent Filtration - RSi

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Whiting Well Pad: CBR < 3%

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Mirafi® RS580i Installed

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4” Minus Aggregate

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Motor Grader Spreads Aggregate

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Well Pad Stabilized and Ready For Drilling

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Whiting Well Pad Construction – May 2013

GEOSYNTHETICS

Whiting Well Pad Construction – May 2013

Man sinks 2” to 3” (CBR = 0.4 to 0.8)

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Whiting Well Pad Construction – May 2013

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Whiting Well Pad Construction – May 2013

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Drilling – July 2013

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Drilling – July 2013

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Before Mirafi® RS580i

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Maintenance Required

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After Mirafi® RS580i

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Whiting Petroleum Cost Analysis

Old Method Unit Amount Unit Cost Total CostInitial 4” aggregate section 2,180 CY $35.00 / CY $76,300

Additional 9” of aggregate section 4,800 CY $35.00 / CY $168,000Total Cost: $244,300

RS580i Method Unit Amount Unit Cost Total Cost6” aggregate section 3,400 CY $35.00 / CY $119,000

RS580i installed 15,000 SY $3.25 / SY $48,750Total Cost: $167,750

GEOSYNTHETICS

Conclusions

• Well pad construction savings: $76,550 per pad (31.3%)• RS580i utilized on 30 pads per year: $2,296,500 savings• CO2 emissions reduction: 606,414 kg per pad (52.3%)• RS580i utilized on 30 pads per year: 18.2 M kg reduction• Whiting estimates a financial burden of $100,000 per day of delay

GEOSYNTHETICS

• Call TenCate• Receive a free design• Try an RSi solution on an upcoming site• Save time and money

What Can You Do

GEOSYNTHETICSwww.mirafi.com

Studies have shown that up to 90% of what is said during a presentation is forgotten within 60 minutes

The 10% we hope you will remember:

Think Ahead….Think TenCate

RSi Geosythetics: Proven Cost Effective Solutions For Tomorrow’s Well Pads