A micro-proppant derived from coal combustion byproducts offers an economical tool to enhance the efficiency of oil and gas well completions. The EcoReach solution engineered by Houston, Texas-based Superior Energy Services, Inc. delivers measurable production improvements without complex chemical blends or polymers.

The lightweight, spherical particles comprising EcoReach are approximately five times smaller thanSource: Superior Energy Services, Inc. traditional proppants, allowing them to travel deeper into microfractures, remain suspended longer and keep rock fissures open after stimulation. Operators can stimulate wells using less water and lower horsepower, as the system proves effective without polymers, gels or biocides.

Deployment in more than 140 new and legacy wells has demonstrated that EcoReach results in consistent production improvements across multiple basins. In one Texas oil well treated with water and 150,000 pounds of EcoReach, production increased from 5 bpd to 52 bpd while water production remained stable. The treatment sustained a four-fold production increase over a four-year period without additional surface disturbance or chemical additives.

In addition to reducing water and horsepower demands, the technology enables the use of produced water from the host formation and seamlessly integrates into conventional fracture spreads for multi-stage horizontal wells.