2025-12-22 – Weekly Fracking News : Leak types after storms

Last week on the forum, members focused heavily on practical solutions for common challenges in the fracking industry. Discussions ranged from optimizing flow paths to advanced training techniques for frac-sim forecasting. A significant conversation centered around dealing with leaks post-storms, which sparked a lot of shared experiences. The community also explored educational opportunities for enhancing groundwater protection and reducing non-productive time (NPT).


This Week’s Hot Topics

Advanced training for frac-sim forecasting
Members are discussing how specialized training can improve forecasting accuracy, which is crucial for efficient resource management.
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Who coined ‘zipper frac’
A lively thread exploring the origins of the term ‘zipper frac’ has emerged, shedding light on industry jargon and its evolution.
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The leak I see most after storms
This discussion offers insights into common leak types following storms, with members sharing preventative measures.
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Best CE on groundwater protection at frac sites
Community members are exchanging recommendations for continuing education programs focused on safeguarding groundwater.
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Faster drill-out without blowing the budget
The thread explores cost-effective strategies to speed up drill-out processes, a topic of great interest to many.
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I over-optimized my flow path
A member shares their experience of over-optimizing, prompting a valuable discussion about finding the right balance.
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Shareable templates for LDAR and water logs
There’s a practical exchange happening around creating and using templates for LDAR and water logs to enhance productivity.
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Diagnosing early screenouts from near-wellbore failure
This thread dives into techniques for identifying and addressing screenouts early to maintain operational efficiency.
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Getting 40/70 to ride in slickwater
Members are sharing tactics for effectively getting 40/70 mesh to transport in slickwater, a nuanced technical challenge.
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Courses that cut NPT without cutting corners
A conversation about educational resources that help reduce non-productive time while maintaining quality standards.
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Thanks for staying engaged with the community. Whether you’re contributing or just catching up, your participation makes a difference.

After storms, we IR-scan low points before restarts; cheap handhelds work — if saturated, quick soap check confirms: https://www.epa.gov/natural-gas-star-program/leak-detection-and-repair-best-practices.

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Post-storm, 10‑minute nitrogen hold; >5 psi drop triggers walkdown — 20 minutes on tanks. @Guide.

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Quick win we use: bring the VRU up first and watch suction amps; a 2–3 A jump on idle tanks usually means a hatch or thief-hatch packing leak before you even touch the line-up. We also crack the flare KO and tank drain legs to push out rainwater; any hydrocarbon hiss gets that leg tagged. @carly_m210 your hold test is solid; on gusty days we switch to an ultrasonic wand, which beats OGI for spotting small gas leaks in wind.

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Paint‑pen witness marks on flange bolts and packing nuts have caught most of our post‑storm weepers; if a mark’s rotated after a blow, we torque‑check that spot before restart — cheap <$5 trick that beats wandering around with soap, but it doesn’t replace OGI. @Guide your 20‑minute tank hold reminded me: we’ve seen thief‑hatch studs shift just enough to show rotation after big gusts, which drives me nuts. Anyone else using witness marks on VRU suction tees or tank manifolds?

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