By creating multilateral wells with multiple liners, proven junction tool technology ‘could open a lot of doors for us’ internationally, notes CEO Wadsworth
CALGARY, Canada (Jan. 9, 2024)—Heavy? Tight? Unconsolidated? Compartmentalized?
For any number of challenging reservoir conditions, Sonoro Energy believes it now has the key to unlock greater potential in heavy oil exploration and production.
Sonoro enjoys exclusive priority access to an innovative multilateral horizontal well technology, developed in collaboration with Modern Wellbore Solutions. With the recent successful execution of our 14-29-32-23 W3 horizontal well near Kerrobert, Saskatchewan, this advanced technology has now been proven to enable the installation of slotted liners at multiple junction points within a single well.
With multiple lined sections, this junction tool technology significantly improves access to larger reservoir sections and possibilities for enhanced recovery in the exploration and exploitation sector.
“Multilateral wells with multiple liners, using this proven junction tool technology, provide us a competitive advantage,” says Sonoro Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard Wadsworth. “Multiple horizontal wells can enhance production, and ultimately reserves recovery, versus typical vertical wells that may be less efficient.”
Developed and applied here in Canada, this junction tool technology is a potential game changer—and it positions Sonoro to leverage this competitive advantage both at home and, more importantly, abroad, where larger transformational opportunities await.
“Internationally, this could open a lot of doors for us, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where we have significant experience and are pursuing opportunities,” adds Wadsworth. “Hopefully we’ll be able to lock down one of these transformational opportunities where we can apply some of the technology and the learnings we have here in Western Canada.”
Traditionally, vertical well development has been preferred for Cold Heavy Oil Production with Sand (CHOPs)—since the unconsolidated nature of heavy oilsands prevents sand production in horizontal wells using a single liner, and typically results in about 40% less productivity compared to a vertical well.
Currently, industry is drilling multilateral horizontal wells with exotic multi-leg configurations, such as the “fishbone” and “pitchfork,” but typically in more consolidated sands—and without liners.
“Thanks to this technology, we believe we can achieve similar results in unconsolidated sands with multiple lined multilaterals, given that the larger slots in these liners are designed to allow some sand production and increase productivity,” says David Leung, Sonoro’s Chief Operations Officer.
“Thanks to this technology, we expect to enhance production rates, expand recoverable reserves, achieve significant cost savings, and reduce our carbon footprint,” he adds. “We believe this could also be applied for other enhanced oil recovery techniques in reservoirs where wellbore stability is an issue, and where multilaterals can benefit productivity and reserves recovery.”
Sonoro has begun final facility construction and completion preparations at the 14-29 well, with an eye to achieving heavy oil production and sales in the latter half of January 2024.
This advancement marks a new milestone in Sonoro’s ongoing strategy of deploying innovative technologies that provide long term competitive advantage, create significant value for our shareholders and stakeholders, and reduce our carbon footprint.