Coalbed Methane Drilling

Gardes Energy Services is leading the industry in new directions with this patented underbalanced, multilateral drilling process for recovery of coalbed methane and shale gas. Coalbed methane accumulations in the United States are estimated to total more than 700 trillion cubic feet and as much as 7500 trillion cubic feet worldwide.

There is now new thought on revolutionizing coalbed natural gas development. Horizontal and multilateral completion technology can dramatically boost recovery rates and reduce surface footprints. In all cases, this technology eliminates hundreds of thousands of vertical wells. Two primary technology needs now exist: improved underbalanced horizontal and multilateral drilling methods and more cost-effective methods of drilling and guidance of horizontal wells. Today's horizontal and multilateral drilling capability can offer much for CBM development. The anisotropic cleat permeability in most coals limits production from seams with low to average permeability, even though permeability is often low in only one orientation. Efficiently underbalanced drilled multilaterals can open the marginal permeability plays with minimal to no formation damage. As the technique gains acceptance, drilling in the next 5 years could boost ultimate recovery by 50%.

Consider the benefits listed below:

• Significant reduction in infrastructure and maintenance
• High recovery rates and faster dewatering
• Elimination of formation damage
• Increased net present value
• Ability to access deep coal deposits
• Minimal environmental impact
• Multi-seam Completions