The milestone of 75.4 hours of continuous pumping time was achieved in the DJ Basin

PDC Energy and Liberty said their operational teams had collectively achieved the milestone of 75.4-hours of continuous plug-and-perf pumping time in the DJ Basin in January 2022. The operations team completed 4,525 minutes of pumping time with zero non-productive time.

Continuous plug-and-perf pumping offers multiple benefits for PDC including reduced cost, lower environmental impact, and less time spent on location.

During the 75.4-hour period, PDC and Liberty completed 72 stages. This achievement resulted in 14 per cent less time spent on location. Additionally, by eliminating idle time on location, they were able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8 per cent compared to another 72-stage period of similar design.

The teams utilised the Intelligent Wellhead Systems inVision® Technology Platform, a digital completion technology that introduces plant-style process control to the frac site using a combination of sensors and accumulator valve lock-outs.

This data-to-action system enables complex valve management processes for continuous frac operations to be performed safely, consistently, and efficiently.

Chris Wright, Liberty CEO, said: "In 2021, Liberty launched Operation 1440, an effort to optimise every minute of the day. Liberty and PDC teams successfully completed this mission and took our goal to new heights as we achieved over three days of continuous plug-and-perf pumping. Liberty is proud to partner with companies like PDC, which that prioritises technology to continue to raise standards in ESG and safety performance."