Our solutions

Simulation solutions to maximize return on investment

Turnkey fracture design and reservoir simulation solutions

Close collaboration

We work closely with clients to align on priorities and support business objectives. We've refined the process over dozens of projects across North and South America.

Understand the why

We don’t just hand you a solution. We help you understand the approach, think critically about simulation inputs, and explain what is happening in the reservoir and why.

Build your capabilities

We strive to transfer our knowledge so you can apply it to future well designs and projects.

Our hydraulic fracturing and reservoir simulation solutions apply to a broad range of applications

ResFrac optimizes operators’ return on investment by providing the industry’s only genuinely coupled hydraulic fracturing, wellbore, and reservoir simulator. The entire development life-cycle can be modeled in a single continuous simulation: from fracturing to production. Because ResFrac describes both multiphase flow and fracture reopening and propagation, complex sequences such as parent/child fracturing and production (with detailed description of frac hits), refracs, and huff and puff EOR can all be modeled. Users can quantitatively optimize landing zone, well spacing, parent-child relationships, cluster spacing, fluid volume, proppant volume, fluid and proppant type, refracturing, and/or EOR huff and puff schemes. ResFrac is used by small independents and supermajors alike, and has been applied across nearly every major American shale play: Permian, Eagle Ford, Bakken, SCOOP/STACK, Utica, Marcellus, Montney, Haynesville, and Vaca Muerta.

Mitigate parent-child problems

Reduce production loss when drilling infill wells.

Enhanced oil recovery in shale

Increase recovery factor.

Well spacing optimization

Optimize the distance between wells to maximize capital efficiency.

Landing depth optimization

Maximize reservoir contact and optimize well spacing in 3D.

Fracturing design optimization

Customize frac design to your formation and economic drivers.

Geothermal systems

Simulate hydraulic stimulation and long-term circulation in a single integrated model.

The process

Following the right modeling workflow is critical for a successful project. Every ResFrac project includes a series of ‘checkpoint’ meetings at key junctures to keep stakeholders aligned and ensure strong engineering design principles.

Model construction and setup

Ingest data, set up an initial model, and present back to confirm everything has been communicated successfully.

Model calibration

Determine ‘key observations’ to be matched from field data. Plan the calibration process in advance. Then, vary parameters to achieve a match.

Design optimization

Align on the design variables to optimize. Perform a quantitative optimization for NPV, investment efficiency, or any other objective.

Design field implementation

Establish baseline performance expectations. Establish performance metrics, and try to minimize uncontrolled variables.

Field implementation

Evaluate results

Compare actual production with predicted. What are the ‘key observations’ from the field data? How do they align with expectation? If there is variance, what are potential causes? Are there additional design changes to consider next?

ResFrac simulations helped Liberty design its 'Dune and Cap' high strength proppant strategy, leading to a 20% production uplift.

Read the case study

A ResFrac modeling study helped Recoil Resources modify proppant loading and well spacing, improving ROI.

Read the case study

Recent content from the ResFrac blog

$Horizontal fracture initiated along weak bedding plane or frictional interface in ResFrac$

Horizontal hydraulic fractures in ResFrac

Horizontal hydraulic fracture propagation is believed to be widespread in shale plays where the frac gradient approaches the overburden – such as the Vaca Muerta, Utica, and Montney. However, horizontal propagation is nearly always ignored in hydraulic fracture modeling. In ResFrac, we are obsessed with ‘getting the physics right’, and so naturally, we extended our simulator to handle horizontal fracturing. The first version of this new capability was released earlier this year. We are eager to start collecting feedback from users, which will help us to fine tune the algorithm and workflow.

Advanced ‘proppant transport in the well’ capabilities are now implemented in ResFrac!

Proppant transport in the well is an intriguing topic that has attracted a lot of interest in recent years [1-8]. Proppant transport processes determine the uniformity of proppant placement, which has a direct impact on productivity. Cipolla et al. estimate that the difference between poor and excellent proppant uniformity is about $2.5M in net present value per well.

Digesting the Bonkers, Incredible, Off-the-Charts, Spectacular Results from the Fervo and FORGE Enhanced Geothermal Projects

I’m out of superlatives – I used them all up in the title. But seriously – Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) projects have had a really, really good summer. In this article, I summarize the results that have been recently presented by Fervo and FORGE. At their annual Tech Day and in a white paper posted this week (Norbeck et al., 2024), Fervo Energy provided their first update on Project Cape, a Utah project where they are developing 400 MWe of new production over the next two years. So far, fourteen wells have been drilled, and three of them have been stimulated.