26 JULY 2025 WorldWide Drilling Resource® A New Tool to Unlock Energy from U.S. Shale Formations Adapted from Information by the Department of Energy (DOE) The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has joined forces with the Colorado School of Mines to enhance the application of fiber-optic sensing technology for tracking fracture development underground. This collaboration aims to improve the extraction of natural gas from unconventional reservoirs, a crucial resource for addressing the increasing energy demands of the nation. To boost hydrocarbon production, natural gas companies utilize horizontal drilling methods alongside hydraulic fracturing in shale formations, characterized by their limited permeability and porosity. These techniques facilitate the extraction of vast shale reservoirs found in abundance across Texas, Pennsylvania, and various other pivotal energyproducing states. Nonetheless, producers face a critical challenge in managing fracture hits, which pose significant risks during hydraulic fracturing operations and must be meticulously avoided. “Fracture hits occur when the hydraulic fracturing process creates fractures in the rock formation that interfere with nearby wells,” said NETL Geoscientist Erich Zorn. “Fracture hits can result in the invasion of fluids and sand into an existing producer (parent well) while a neighboring well (child well) is being hydraulically stimulated, possibly damaging the parent well and its ability to produce hydrocarbons.” To tackle this challenge, researchers installed strain-sensitive fiber-optic cables in monitoring wells located in the Delaware Basin of West Texas. These monitoring wells are drilled alongside production wells to observe rock deformation and pinpoint the active tips of expanding fractures in real-time. Ideally, multiple monitoring wells can be positioned at the site, offering various perspectives on the development of the fractures. “Distributed fiber-optic sensing is a game changer because it is more sensitive than existing technologies such as geophones and other seismic sensors,” Zorn said. “The fiber-optic cables collect data at a very high resolution to determine a fracture’s dimensions, spatial orientation, growth rate, and deformation properties.” This innovative technique employs a heart-shaped signal in distributed strain sensing measurements to gauge the distance to the hydraulic fracture tip before it intersects with the monitoring well. This offers an early alert about the fracture’s growth, speed, and direction of propagation. The implementation of this technology could also enhance safety by mitigating drilling hazards associated with hydraulic fracturing operations which might endanger nearby drilling efforts. “Determining the growth, speed, and orientation of developing fractures is crucial to planning safe and cost-effective drilling operations,” said NETL Geophysicist Colton Kohnke. Excessive drilling can lead to unnecessary resource waste, including water, fuel, steel casing, and other infrastructure, while also exacerbating emissions and expanding the operation’s land footprint. Conversely, drilling too few wells - considering well spacing - might leave valuable resources untapped underground. “We expect the research results from this project to have a positive impact on economic, environmental, and resource recovery factors,” Kohnke said. The NETL is a national laboratory under the U.S. DOE focused on enhancing the nation’s energy future through the development of innovative solutions that bolster the security, affordability, and reliability of energy systems and natural resources. NETL is at the forefront of creating advanced energy technologies that align with the DOE’s mission. Additionally, the lab promotes partnerships which aim to cultivate a resilient and plentiful energy future for the country. HDD
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