阿根廷页岩气发展迎来新的里程碑

     据今日油价12月10日报道，阿根廷国家能源公司YPF附近的消息来源报道，阿根廷国家能源公司YPF在瓦卡穆尔塔（Vaca Muerta）页岩中侧钻出了最长的水平油井，长度为3,890米，合12,700多英尺。

    YPF与斯伦贝谢（Schlumberger）共同在Bandurria Sur地区创下了侧钻水平井的纪录。阿根廷这个能源巨头目前已计划与雪佛龙公司合作一个更长的侧钻项目，长度超过2500米，该项目是Loma Campana。

    水平井的横向越长从单个井中就可获得更大的产量，从而为运营商节省了资金。在国际市场油价波动的背景下，YPF的投资甚是担忧。

    在YPF想成为与美国匹敌的石油出口国的情况下，这种担忧变得更加明显。美国的页岩生产成本比瓦卡穆尔塔页岩低30%。

    岩层的成本问题是世界上最大的问题之一，不仅仅与政治和价格不稳定有关。与美国的页岩气不同，瓦卡·穆尔塔页岩层近期成为能源公司关注的焦点。

    郝芬 译自 今日油价

    原文如下：

    Argentina's Shale Boom Hits New Milestone

    YPF, the Argentine state energy company, has drilled the longest horizontal oil well lateral, at 3,890 meters, or more than 12,700 feet, in the Vaca Muerta shale play, citing a source close to the company.

    The record-breaking lateral—the horizontal part of the well—was drilled in the Bandurria Sur area, which YPF is developing in partnership with Schlumberger. The Argentine state major now has plans for more long laterals, at more than 2,500 meters, at a project it is working on in partnership with Chevron: Loma Campana.

    Longer laterals in horizontal wells enable greater production from a single well, saving the operator money. Investment concerns are serious for YPF amid the oil price volatility on international markets.

    The concerns become even more pronounced in the context of YPF’s amb, according to the S&P Global Platts source. Production costs in the U.S. shale patch are as much as 30 percent lower than they are in the Vaca Muerta play.

    The cost problem in the play, which is one of the biggest in the world, is not only related to political and price instability. Unlike the U.S. shale plays, the Vaca Muerta became the focus of attention for energy companies relatively recently.