Simultaneous Well Completions More Than Double Since 2014 Driven by Hydraulic Fracturing Advancements: EIA

The average number of wells completed simultaneously at the same location in the Lower 48 states has more than doubled, increasing from 1.5 wells during December 2014 to more than 3.0 wells during June 2024, according to a May 7 report published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The increase in the number of simultaneous completions can be attributed to technological enhancements in hydraulic fracturing operations, most notably in equipment abilities and operational strategies. The completion of multiple wells at a given point in time, rather than sequentially, gives operators the capability to increase their production timeline and reduce their cost per well.

U.S. crude oil production averaged 13.2 million barrels per day (b/d) during 2024, up by 270,000 b/d compared to the previous year due to improved productivity. Oil companies are increasingly leveraging technological enhancements, including electronic hydraulic fracturing technologies, artificial intelligence and automated drilling procedures, to improve operations while operating fewer rigs.

Simultaneous completions have allowed operators to: increase operational efficiency through enhanced equipment capability and shared resources, reduce completion costs per well, and lessen the time from post-drilling to production. Despite the number of active locations being lower since 2014, the number of wells has increased, due to simultaneous completion.

Operators realised the advantage of completing multiple wells at once before 2017. However, there were a number of technical complexities, such as the requirement for hydraulic horsepower at the location to fracture multiple wells simultaneously.

The adoption of electric frac fleets, offering improved power management, has been a key factor in the rise of simultaneous completions. While traditional operations depended solely on diesel-powered pumps that needed continuous fuel deliveries by truck, modern electric fleets use generators capable of running on field gas, compressed natural gas, or electricity from the grid when available.