Refracturing horizontal wells in Haynesville still shows uneven results

Repeated refracturing of horizontal wells has been much less implemented than vertical refracturing. Credit: Ecoflight.

More than 50 horizontal wells were refractured in Haynesville during the last two years with results showing a wide variance in economic performance. The best outcomes are for wells for which their production rate after refracturing is higher than the initial rate.

The 56 wells that were refractured in Haynesville during 2017-2018 were initially completed between 2008 and 2013 and had an initial production rate (IP rate) ranging from 320 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed) to 3,500 boed. Within this group the 40 wells refractured by QEP Energy show a good performance, however in many cases productivities were improved with respect to original rates. Indeed, a total of 22 wells recompleted by QEP Energy reached production rates of at least 1,700 boed, compared to their first IP rate of no more than 1,690 boed.

By contrast, Chesapeake recompleted three wells in 2017 with a poor performance since production rates barely reached 1,000 boed, nonetheless new wells that were recently turned in line by the operator show production rates of approximately 1,740 boed.

Repeated refracturing of horizontal wells has been much less implemented than vertical refracturing. As a result, there is still a large variance in the results different operators obtain from horizontal well refracturing recompletions. The 2017-2018 Haynesville recompleted wells that achieved an improved recompletion rate, have a break-even gas price of US$2.54 per mcf and a net present value (NPV) of US$7.38 MM.

Image: Haynesville Refractured Wells – Initial Production Rates vs Refractured Production Rates.

However, for some operators their new wells drilled have better economics than recompleted wells. For instance, Covey Park wells have in average a break-even gas price of US$2.71 per mcf versus US$3.12 per mcf for its refractured wells, and an NPV of more than US$3.5 MM higher than the one for recompleted wells.

No operator has consistently achieved US$2 MM refracturing cost and therefore reaching high production rates remains determinant in having favourable economic performance. Refracturing techniques will need to continue evolving in Haynesville, this can increase the success cases and will support a shift where refracturing producing wells is as important in the operator’s strategy as is drilling new ones.

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