Reality Check: Flowback & AI Revolution

• How ChatGPT analyzed LAS files and predicted production

• 162 Comments Later: Flowback vs Well Testing

• Regional differences in oil & gas terminology across basins

• Why "boring" wells sometimes beat complex challenges

• Wade's 6-foot king snake encounter in Louisiana

• Why attorneys change everything (sometimes)

• Anyone going to Midcon next week?

Flowback vs. Well Testing

What We Learned from You

One of our videos got over 160 comments on TikTok, and we did a deep-dive into them because it seems like we got it way wrong.

Terminology Varies

• Traditional flowback = managing the initial flow of frac fluid and formation fluids after stimulation

• Well testing = longer-term production testing and optimization

• Modern flowback = often includes both phases, from initial cleanup through production testing

What Flowback Really Includes

Based on your comments, here's what flowback hands actually do:

1. Pre-Frac Phase: Toe prep operations; Equipment setup and safety checks

2. During Frac: Frac watch (monitoring pressures, equipment); Handling screen-outs when they occur; Managing flowback during emergencies

3. Post-Frac: Drill-out operations; Initial flowback of frac fluid; Sand management and separation; Production testing and optimization; Facility monitoring

Duration Reality Check:

• Not 30-90 days anymore

• Most of you said 7-20 days is typical now

• Some Appalachian jobs still run 60-180 days

• Haynesville: "lucky to get 20 days"

• East Texas: "10 days here"

The Industry Has Changed

Multiple veterans pointed out how different things are now:

Then (10+ years ago): Longer job durations; More technical knowledge required; Higher day rates; Single-hand operations for months

Now: Shorter durations; More automated systems; Split between multiple service companies

Regional Differences

• North Dakota: "Been over 3 years and we have yet to use flowback on a frac job"

• Texas/New Mexico: Flowback hands commonly on XTO/Exxon sites

• Wyoming: Flowback hands regularly on location

• Appalachia: Flowback from frac through completion testing

What We Got Right (And Wrong)

Right:

• Flowback is about managing well cleanup and initial production

• Safety is paramount

• It's more complex than it looks

What we missed:

• The full scope from toe prep through production

• How much the industry has changed

• Regional variations in operations

• The technical expertise still required

Thanks for keeping us honest and sharing your real experiences. The oilfield runs on knowledge passed down from hand to hand, and these comments prove that tradition is alive and well.