88 Energy Limited (LON:88E) told investors that operations continue to recover the remaining fracking fluid from the Icewine-2 shale well, in Alaska.
So far 13% of the fracking fluid has been recovered since flow-back began last Monday, June 19, though the company today reveals that some of that time was spent doing additional work on the well.
The original plan was to flow-back and test two separate zones in the HRZ shale, which were fracked separately too.
Pressure readings and flow-back rates, however, pointed to the two zones being ‘in communication’ and as a result of these findings the company decided merged to the zones in the well. The explorer drilled out the plug between the two zones, and flow-back has subsequently resumed.
88 Energy highlighted that evidence of trace hydrocarbon was observed in the upper zone, prior to the additional drilling, though subsequently the flow-back has returned to 100% frack fluid.
The company said it would expect that around 30% of the frack fluid will have to be recovered before hydrocarbons are released from the reservoir.
As flow-back operations continue the group is prepared, if needed, to introduce some artificial lift methods to increase the rate of recovery and it was noted, also, that if the rate of recovery became too low a ‘shut in and soak’ would take place to allow pressure to build up. It noted that ‘soaking’ is not uncommon in other shale plays.
Dave Wall, 88 Energy managing director, said: “We continue to monitor pressure and flowback of stimulation fluid whilst we wait for hydrocarbons to be released from the reservoir.
“Given that we are breaking new ground in relation to the HRZ formation, we need to establish the conditions under which the hydrocarbon cut will return and then increase.
“The stimulation was executed precisely as per plan with over one million lbs of proppant placed into the formation. A little patience is now required as we give the rocks time to show us what they can deliver.”