New Technology Magazine

Case Study Finds Flowstar DCRs Strongly Enhance CBM Production Performance

[Daily News] Doug Biles, CEO of Wescorp Energy, has announced a case study has been completed on a portion of the Clive coalbed methane (CBM) production field in south central Alberta. The study quantitatively assessed the benefits from Wescorp's natural gas and gas liquids measuring devices in low-pressure, low-flow CBM wells. According to the study's authors, the Flowstar solution significantly increases the economic value of those wells using the Flowstar solution.
Wells in the Clive Field typically have an average depth of 400 - 500 metres with approximately a 35-year life cycle. The study compared the performance of 90 CBM wells monitored by Flowstar Digital Chart Recorders (DCR), with the performance of 30 wells monitored by orifice plate monitors.

Scott Shemwell, Wescorp Energy's COO, stated that, "We are pleased to have this substantiation of the value of our Flowstar DCR in CBM applications. We believe that CBM and other low-pressure, low-flow unconventional gas plays will play a major role in the future of natural gas exploitation, and we look forward to working with other companies to help them increase gas production."

Dave LeMoine, president of Flowstar Technologies Inc. added, "Our Flowstar DCR was designed specifically to meet the needs of CBM operators, and this case study substantiates the value obtained. In an era of higher gas prices and even higher drilling and production costs, the economics using our solution are compelling."

According to the study, the operator observed that orifice plate meters are consistently out of tolerance by a minimum of 5% or more.

By using the Flowstar solution, the volume of gas throughput increased by over 100%, because back pressure from the turbine unit is nonexistent, as compared to constricting type measurement devices that actually degrade production in low-pressure, low-flow CBM wells.

Back office accounting functions must reconcile the books at the end of the month for the orifice plate measuring devices, whereas the Flowstar meters are accurate and require no adjustments, thus saving valuable staff time and resources.

Once the data was collected using DCR's use of SD/MMC cards, it only took 20 minutes to complete weekly production data from the 90 Flowstar wells. On the other hand, collecting the mechanical charts from the 30 non-Flowstar wells took six hours to input the gathered data into the production application. Flowstar technology increased field tech productivity, allowing them to complete other tasks.

Wescorp Energy Inc. is an energy services and engineering company committed to commercializing new technologies intended to increase existing production while also increasing economically recoverable petroleum reserves. The company has the drilling, production, and process optimization expertise to deliver technology solutions to market in a timely, economic and environmentally friendly manner.

Its Flowstar Technologies Inc. division produces advanced natural gas and gas liquids measuring devices based on a patented turbine-based Digital Chart Recorder (DCR) metering system. DCR meters are self-contained, energy-efficient units with integrated flow computers that are more accurate, easy to install and cost-effective than conventional flow-metering systems. They install directly near the well-head and do not require external power, metering loops, heated shelters or alcohol injectors to protect them from weather condition to -50 C.

Ellycrack AS, a Norwegian corporation with which Wescorp has a binding agreement to enter into a joint-venture, is providing a permanent heavy oil pre-processing upgrading technology enabling low-cost transport to the refinery. In addition to the arrangement for a joint venture, Wescorp also owns an approximate 13% equity interest in Ellycrack AS.