For Seven Generations Energy, efficiency and cost control in the Montney starts with what it calls “super pads.”
The goal is to maximize resource recovery, minimize environmental footprint and optimize capital efficiency in one of North America’s hottest natural gas plays.
“Super pads occupy about 22 acres—less than one percent of the 2,560 acres over the reservoir from where the liquids-rich natural gas is produced,” the company explains.
Each super pad is designed to house around 36 wells, along with dehydration and liquids-separation facilities to cut out condensate and send it to sales pipelines. Satellite pads nearby also feed into the facilities.
The company has up to four rigs at a time, often from more than one service provider, working on one 22-acre super pad site.
Here’s a visual look at the planned life cycle of one of Seven Generations’ super pads; after decades of production, forested land is remediated.
Images courtesy of Seven Generations Energy.
1. Scouting: Before any field activity, the super pad location is selected for site suitability, environmental and cultural considerations and reservoir access.
2. Forestry area: Stakeholders are consulted, land surveyed and permits secured before field work begins.
3. Clearing: Logging equipment clears trees for forest product processing and grading begins.
4. Graded: Land is leveled and a road is built to the super pad.
5. Drilling: Up to four rigs batch drill deep horizontal wells in pods.
6. Production preparation: Wellheads and initial production facilities are installed.
7. Well completions 1: The first set of wells is hydraulically fractured to unlock liquids-rich natural gas.
8. Well completions 2: The crew moves to complete the second set of wells.
9. Well completions 3: The crew moves to complete the third set of wells.
10. Well completions 4: The crew moves to complete the fourth set of wells.
11. Well tie-in and production: Production facilities are built, wells are tied-in and production begins.
12. Partial reclamation: The initial phase of reclamation starts to return the pad to natural state.
13. Partial reclamation: The next phase of reclamation is done.
14. Full reclamation: Production is done, wells are abandoned, the site is remediated and full land reclamation is complete.
