Special to The Post-Searchlight

In March 2011, DaniMer Scientific, LLC, of Bainbridge, received a grant from the organization, “Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America,” or RPSEA, to develop a unique fracturing treatment for increasing the efficiency of hydrocarbon production. Since DaniMer was awarded the grant, valued at more than $800,000, in early 2011, the company has made dramatic progress toward improving operational, environmental and logistical aspects of oil and gas extraction.

DaniMer was selected as the RPSEA project leader under the small producer category, “Creating Fractures Past Damage More Effectively With Less Environmental Damage.” Texas A&M University and CSI Technologies Inc. are collaborating with DaniMer as senior partners in the small producer category as they work together to achieve similar goals. The Small Producer Program allows for small producing companies to maximize oil and gas extraction while utilizing their existing capabilities.

In support of the RPSEA project, DaniMer has developed the Novel Fracture Technology (NFT), based on the need for a low cost, environmentally-friendly and non-damaging fracturing fluid to be utilized for this extraction process. The NFT will allow previously uneconomically producible production zones to be tapped by small producers that have limited resources and budgets.

“We are proud of the environmentally-friendly strides we have made in the fracturing technology industry through the development of the NFT, or fracturing fluid,” said Dr. Steve Wann, chief technology officer at DaniMer Scientific. “We took advantage of this opportunity to improve upon several of the shortcomings of today’s fracturing technology and increase gas recovery and production from available reserves in the U.S.”

DaniMer believes that the United States can reduce its dependence on foreign sources of petroleum by increasing production from domestic sources, with new technologies like this innovative new fracturing polymer.

The polymer used in the NFT is naturally degradable, leaving behind no residue in the formation after fracturing. In addition to the value of its efficiency and environmental friendliness, the polymer also provides ideal viscosity and proppant transport properties for effective fracture creation and proppant placement. DaniMer has also tackled the issue of cost, as the less expensive and simpler nature of the NFT enables more producers to access more reserves economically, as opposed to large fracturing operations that can be too expensive for small operators, leaving small reservoirs untapped.

DaniMer is now working with a partner to select operators who will identify candidate wells for future applications and demonstrations of the technology. This implementation will help direct the best geologic plays and reservoir applications for commercialization.