Vast technological advances have been made in the oil and gas arena, particularly with horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. The well testing industry that supports it has evolved as well, becoming much more sophisticated and regulated.

In the not-too-distant past, becoming a “well tester” required little training, and a well tester’s responsibility consisted primarily of counting the number of barrels that a well produced. The job description might read, “Check the tanks, call the trucking company and don’t let the water hit the ground.” Gone are the days of barrel counters, single well pads and open pits.

Today well testing is much more complicated. Three notable trends have occurred in testing across the numerous shale plays:
• Fracking operations are larger, and that has implications for well testing;
• Green completions indicate the expectation that the industry become more environmentally responsible; and
• Advances in safety have been made due to an expectation of stringent safety standards and a good safety
record.

Each of these trends has a unique set of challenges, equipment requirements and skill sets.

Bigger operations
The size and scope of hydraulic fracturing operations continues to increase with technological advances in horizontal drilling and completions. Frack jobs call for more resources—water, sand and horsepower—as energy producers operate multiple wells on a single pad. Larger operations require specialized equipment for handling flowback fluids, such as test separators.

Test separators are able to efficiently separate oil, water, gas and solids from flowback fluids. The oil and water are moved into isolated tanks while the gas is flared off or, ideally, redirected to a sales pipeline. Separators vary in size based on the unique requirements of the operation. Larger separators add efficiency and reduce completion costs. A larger separator can handle fluids from multiple wells at one time, a process called comingling. In addition, retention times are greater in a larger vessel, so more oil is recovered from the fluids and returned to the energy producer rather than disposed of in an injection well.

These requirements have led to large and varied equipment demand. Select Energy Services, for example, owns and operates 125 full sets of equipment across the U.S. shale plays. This equipment includes 2-in. to 4-in. 1502 iron 15,000-psi frack stands; 15,000-psi manifolds; 15,000-psi plug catchers; and sand separators, flare stacks, incinerators, combustors and multiphase test separators with working pressure ratings ranging from 3,000 psi to 15,000 psi.

Green completions
Regulatory agencies continue to influence the industry, directing energy producers to be more environmentally responsible. One movement, known as Green Completions, is reducing the amount of methane and vapor emissions released into the air around oil and gas well sites. This process safely contains and combusts flare gas, reducing the amount of wellsite emissions.

Well testers utilize specialized closed-loop tank ventilation combustion units to prevent the release of methane and vapors into the air during operations. Benefits include optimized project efficiency—the system has been tested and proven, with established standard operating procedures and rigup procedures. They also manage and coordinate interaction with community and regulatory bodies and consider this an integral part of the process.

Safety
Onshore well testing and flowback operations are among the most dangerous in the industry, and strict safety standards are necessary. Employees are constantly at risk of exposure to high temperatures, high pressures and high concentrations of dangerous gases. And since well testers work closest to the well, many times they are in charge of not only their own activities but also of third-party activities on location that are happening concurrently.

Credible oilfield services companies make safety a priority, not only to protect the wellbeing of their workers but also because it is an expectation by operators, which actively review the safety records of their contractors. Specialized equipment coupled with rigorous employee training programs are the keys to a successful operation.

Trends in employee safety measures
In the oil and gas industry rapid growth and high turnover rates can make it hard to keep highly trained staff members. Safety training for front-line well testing employees is critical to developing specific skill sets. This typically includes mandatory classroom training and hands-on field training. Mentorship programs also effectively enhance safety performance; looking out for the “other guy” can make people more mindful of safety issues.

Select Energy Services has a designated training facility in Brighton, Colo., where employees complete classroom sessions. The company also has a hands-on training center where employees can get experience with equipment and trainers can simulate flow, as if an employee were on a job site but without the risks. Additionally, the company has an ongoing campaign that serves as a daily reminder that safety is a core value at the company. The slogan, “It starts with me,” empowers employees with a message of ownership and accountability for safety.

Trends in equipment
Specialized equipment also contributes to safer work environments, and technology has created significant advancements.
Kevlar restraints now replace metal stakes that once stabilized high-pressure flowlines. Electronic, pneumatic and hydraulic valves have become commonplace and allow for quick control of the well in the event of a problem. Personal lower explosive limit meters alert workers of the presence of toxic and corrosive gas emissions, and forward-looking infrared (FLIR) cameras allow them to identify and measure the source of the emissions. FLIR cameras also allow workers to identify ice plugs or “hydrates” within the equipment. To reduce the risk of flash fire injuries, electronic ignition systems are now equipped on indirect line heaters, combustors, incinerators and flare stacks.

Leading well testing companies offer state-of-the-art inventory of equipment that meets API standards to safely deliver all of the operators’ well testing requirements. They provide experienced team members who can safely and effectively operate in all testing environments, including high-risk environments such as those with high temperatures, high pressures and/or high concentrations of sour gas.

As oilfield technologies evolve, so do the requirements for well testing. The trends in size of hydraulic fracturing jobs, environmental expectations and safety demand will only continue to increase. Operators have high expectations, and oilfield services companies must deliver to remain relevant in this industry.