In English

Horizontal drilling, combined with hydraulic fracturing (also known as "fracking"), has enabled oil extraction from these sedimentary rocks.

Traditional oil and shale oil extraction techniques do not differ in any way. The difference lies in the source of the deposit - not the drilling techniques themselves.

When drilling a well in a "conventional" deposit, pressure is released along with the oil. Contrast this to an "unconventional" deposit, in which the oil remains trapped because the rock is of poor quality (limited porosity and permeability).

We therefore have to use more expensive techniques - in particular, horizontal drilling combined with hydraulic fracturing - to release and recover this fluid.

Extraction from the so-called "conventional" energy resources is a simpler, less costly process. On the other hand, greater investment is required to analyze the geological reservoirs that comprise "unconventional" resources.

"Horizontal drilling", often chosen as a replacement to drilling several vertical wells, eliminates the need for multiple surface wellheads. This process enables exploration over a greater length of the production zone.

This technology has been used in France for more than 30 years. Horizontal drilling has been deployed to create wells for exploration or petroleum development in this country with no significant repercussions. In the Paris area, 1,800 wells have been drilled.

Since 1997, Vermilion Rep has drilled 14 horizontal wells in France without any incidents.

"Hydraulic fracturing" is the targeted dislocation of low-permeability geological formations, which is achieved by injecting a fluid (e.g., 99% water + sand + 1% highly diluted chemical elements that are used in our day-to-day lives) into the drill rod, under very high pressure, in order to create fissures and micro-fissures in the rock. The sand in the fluid is used to keep the fissures open so that the hydrocarbons released can move along them once the excessive pressure on the water is shut off. The fissures close up again as soon as the pumping is stopped.

This well-known and proven technology is coupled with strengthened monitoring and digital simulation and micro-seismicity tracking methods. Nothing is left to chance - every eventuality is planned for and the system is secure.

Fracking can be performed using vertical, slant or horizontal wells.

This technique has been in use since the 1950s, as a means of stimulating low-permeability rock layers and thereby improving the well yield. To date, Vermilion Rep has used it on 17 wells in France, 15 of which were drilled into conventional deposits.

Informative: Estimates indicate that hydraulic fracturing was used to drill 40% of all wells worldwide.

 Fracking Dimentional
- Height: 50 to 150 metres
- Length: 200 to 300 metres
- Numerical simulation that anticipates and sizes operations
- Permanent monitoring during hydraulic simulation
- 77 t of sand injected into the formation
- 775 m3 of fluids injected
- 550 m3 of the fluid recovered

Vermilion Rep is committed to ensuring that all of its operations are respectful of and in compliance with the most stringent environmental and human safety and protection standards.

To ensure protection of the water table, Vermilion Rep uses materials and techniques that have been proven effective for both the attainment of its drilling objectives and environmental safety:

Well architecture in line with protection of strategic water resources:

• Three well cases with cementation on a systematic basis - ensure the equipment is kept watertight
• The exact same tools are used for both horizontal and vertical drilling

Fluids are recovered once fracking is completed:

• Re-injected into the source reservoir, along with the water produced in-process
• Never comes into contact with the environment

Recognized methods, expertly handled
Groundwater aquifers are protected by installing multiple protective well casings enclosed in cement.
Vermilion meets or exceeds French regulations  

Three well cases with cementation on a systematic basis - ensure the equipment is kept watertight

We use our know-how in maintaining and optimizing productions from mature deposits to handle the natural decline in deposits in the Paris Basin.

Over the years, we have observed a drop in oil production and a substantial increase in water production.

At present, our daily production is 600 m³ of oil mixed in with 8,000 m³ of salt water.

Oil and water separation is performed at our processing centre (or depot). The oil is moved by pipeline to the Grandpuits refinery, and the water is re-injected into the deposit so the pressure is maintained.

The water recovered during the hydraulic fracturing process is re-injected into the deposit along with the water produced during our ongoing operations. This water is never released into the environment.

A precise estimate of the potential for shale oil is difficult to establish at this time. Initial results of geological explorations point to the existence of some encouraging deposits. These results require additional exploration and stimulation work to measure what potential production might be possible. A single sample has been taken from all of the drillholes created in the Paris Basin. Only the geographical distribution of this source rock and the depth in the sub-surface are known to date.

Vermilion Rep must carry out analyses on the rocks using core drilling/sampling⁽¹⁾ to determine the potential for shale oil deposits within a specific zone - whatever the type of deposit - and confirm its hypotheses in its oil fields (leases and permits):

• A 700-sq. km area
• 6 billion barrels of oil in place
• 60 to 120 million recoverable barrels

Although these studies are costly from both a time and a financial investment standpoint, they are essential to obtaining reliable results.

"Our objective is therefore to acquire data that can be used to assess the potential and test the productivity of this rock."

Vermilion Rep shares the French government's desire to find out if this is, economically and environmentally, the best technique, and if it will ultimately contribute to this country's energy self-sufficiency.

⁽¹⁾ Exploratory work: A core sample, i.e., a sub-surface sample, is taken and used to analyze rock characteristics such as porosity, thickness, composition and mechanical parameters. After this come the recognition of a hydrocarbon presence and a determination of its productivity index.

Our knowledge to be proven on our concessions and permits in Paris Basin:

• An area extending over 700 sq. km
• 6 billion barrels of oil in place
• 60 to 120 million recoverable barrels

The permit-granting procedure - from the exploration stage to development (lease) - is highly regulated, and each step is subject to State intervention. Moreover, only a small percentage of all exploration work leads to an operations phase. For this reason, exploration costs are even higher in light of the absence of guaranteed results.

All of these exploration and production steps are required and are identical for both conventional and shale oil exploration.