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From Barely a Barrel to a Boom: HotSoss Stimulates Production at Bakken Well After Traditional Treatment Failures
At a glance
An 11-year old well in North Dakota suffered a significant decline in production due to paraffin buildup. This well struggled to operate, barely producing more than a single bbl/day. After a single HotSoss well treatment, production jumped to an average of 28 bbl/day and 13.5 MCF of natural gas.
Key metrics
28x
increase in oil production
60x
increase in natural gas production
30x
increase in well runtime
How paraffin shuts in an aging Bakken well
Paraffin is wax that comes out of crude oil as it cools on the way to surface. It builds up in tubing, around the wellbore and in flowlines. As deposits grow, flow drops, and the well may only run for short periods before it plugs again.
Common fixes include hot oiling and solvent treatments. When those stop working, an older well can slide from marginal to uneconomic.
This 11-year-old North Dakota Bakken well had reached that point. It was producing barely more than one barrel a day and running only one or two days a month. Hot oiling and traditional chemical treatments had not solved it.
Challenges
Paraffin blockages caused a significant production decline in this North Dakota Bakken formation oil wellโmaking it uneconomical to operate. Traditional chemical treatments and hot oiling failed to solve the problem. The well owner, facing diminishing returns on investment, sought an innovative solution to stimulate production and revitalize the well.
Solutions
HotSoss emerged as the breakthrough solution, thanks to its unique approach to tackle paraffin, iron sulfide, and asphaltene deposits. The treatment plan included a single hot oil truck to:
- Mix a 5% HotSoss in 70 barrels of produced water
- Heat the HotSoss solution and divide for direct well injection and flowline cleaning
- Complete treatment in a single day for immediate impact
Results
28x Increase in Oil Production
Production jumped from <1 bbl/day to an average of 28 bbl/day in the two-months following HotSoss treatment.
60x Increase in Natural Gas Production
Wells with HotSoss averaged treatment every 213 days compared to 177 for Xylene. This resulted sustained periods with higher production rates. Production in one well increased 6-12 bbl (1-2 m3/day).
30x Increase in Runtime
Prior to treatment well only run 1-2 days per month due to paraffin blockages. Post-treatment, well runs every day.
Data
Frequently asked questions
How was the HotSoss treatment done?
With a single hot oil truck, in one day. A 5% HotSoss solution in 70 barrels of produced water was heated and split between well injection and flowline cleaning.
How much did oil production change?
From under 1 bbl/day to an average of 28 bbl/day over the two months after treatment.
What about gas production?
The well averaged 13.5 MCF of natural gas after treatment.
How did runtime change?
Before treatment, the well ran 1 to 2 days a month because of paraffin blockages. After treatment, it runs every day.