Going solo - ONGC fracks 10 Mandapeta wells
ONGC wants to replicate the success of its Malleswaram fracking campaign at the Mandapeta PML in Andhra Pradesh.
This report learns ONGC has begun mobilising pumps for a nine-month campaign to frack up to ten flowing gas wells at the 40-sq km Mandapeta PML at its Rajahmundry asset. "Our estimate is that production will increase by 50% from each fracked well," says a source.
"Ten wells with the most potential have been chosen for the first phase of the campaign; how it pans out, we can only tell after fracking the first one or two wells." ONGC operates three PMLs in the Mandapeta area: the 40-sq km Mandapeta PML, where it secured a PML on August 22 (2015); the 20-sq km Mandapeta West PML, where it secured a PML on June 1 (2004); and the 6-sq km Mandapeta-19 PML, where it secured a PML on May 1 (2018).
Located about 40-km east of Rajahmundry towards the Kakinada coastline, the Mandapeta areas produce up to 900,000 cm/d from 35 flowing wells. This represents nearly half the total production of 2m cm/d (2022-23) of Rajahmundry asset production.
ONGC wants to carry out the fracking programme without help from Schlumberger, Halliburton or Baker Hughes to save money. Instead, it is using its company-owned pumps and in-house specialists.
"Doing the campaign ourselves means a huge cost saving," adds our source. "If we had outsourced this work, it would have cost us 40% more."
ONGC expects it will take up to 20 days to prepare to frack each well, though fracking takes about five hours, involving pumping fluid through the well perforations from more than half a dozen pumps. "Every well needs up to 20 days before the pumps are moved to the next location," we hear.
"That's why we have set a timeframe of nine months for the campaign." After an unsuccessful fracking operation in 2017-18 and challenges during Covid, ONGC managers are confident its Mandapeta fracking operation will succeed.
They draw inspiration from a 10-well fracking campaign at the 241-sq km Malleswaram PML in 2021-22, which increased production from 3100 b/d in March 2021 to 4030 b/d by September 2022.