{"id":6544,"date":"2025-11-26T15:54:51","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T20:54:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.respectmyplanet.org\/publications\/?p=6544"},"modified":"2025-12-01T16:08:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T21:08:07","slug":"high-volume-hydraulic-fracturing-returns-to-michigan-november-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.respectmyplanet.org\/publications\/michigan\/oil-gas-exploration\/high-volume-hydraulic-fracturing-returns-to-michigan-november-2025","title":{"rendered":"High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing Returns To Michigan November 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In a move no one expected after a 12-year hiatus, FortyFive Energy LLC of Midland, Texas has filed an application for a permit to drill and complete a new horizontal test of Michigan\u2019s deep Collingwood formation. The proposed State Excelsior 1-14 HD1 represents the first return to large-scale, high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) in Michigan since June of 2013 \u2014 and the company is potentially planning something never before tried in this reservoir: a massive acid-dominated completion that may use zero sand.  On Michigan\u2019s EQP-7200-26 form, operators are required to disclose the chemical additives they plan to use in a hydraulic fracture, but they are not required to list expected sand usage, even though most operators typically do when proppant is part of the design.  There is a possibility FortyFive Energy will use sand and didn\u2019t list it on EQP-7200-26.  There is, however, a chance FortyFive Energy will use a different completion technique using retarded acid as a spearhead for the frack and rely on etching channels for long lived gas and liquids conductivity back to the well bore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The application has been filed under \u2018tight hole\u2019 status, Michigan\u2019s classification that restricts public access to drilling and testing data while work is underway. Tight hole protections do not seal records forever, but they do delay transparency and make it harder for watchdog organizations like Respectmyplanet.org (RMP) to track operations in real time. Even so, RMP will watch the chronology of this well from permit to drilling to completion and initial flow back results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Look Back: When Encana Tested the Collingwood (2010\u20132013)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From 2010 to mid-2013, Encana was the last major operator to attempt commercial development of the Collingwood. Working with Halliburton, Encana drilled deep horizontal wells and conducted the largest HVHF completions in Michigan\u2019s history \u2014 operations that dwarfed everything the state had seen before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some smaller horizontal-well fracks from that era were already large by Michigan historical standards, with hundreds of thousands to millions of gallons of slickwater, nitrogen, and acid blends. But Encana\u2019s main Collingwood attempts built on an entirely different scale: the truly giant HVHF jobs that set state records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RMP went back into our 2008 to 2013 Michigan oil & gas archives and looked up some of the water & sand usage numbers from similar \u2018giant size\u2019 fracks on the same and nearby well pads targeting the Collingwood. This table shows Michigan’s largest fracks ever with State Excelsior 3-25HD1 holding the record for water used and State Beaver Creek 1-23HD1 holds the record for sand used. Now consider this new well *might* not use sand or proppant. All wells in the table below were drilled & completed with Encana as the operator of record. Halliburton performed all completions for the wells below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n
Well Name (Permit)<\/th>\n Water Used (gallons)<\/th>\n Sand Used (lbs)<\/th>\n <\/tr>\n <\/thead>\n
State Excelsior 1-13 HD1 (60360)<\/td>\n ~5,860,000<\/td>\n ~3,670,000<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
State Excelsior 1-25 HD1 (60389)<\/td>\n ~8,460,000<\/td>\n ~5,310,000<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
State Excelsior 2-25 HD1 (60545)<\/td>\n ~12,700,000<\/td>\n ~9,890,000<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
State Excelsior 3-25 HD1 (60546)<\/td>\n ~21,200,000<\/td>\n ~18,700,000<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
State Garfield 1-25 HD1 (60580)<\/td>\n ~12,500,000<\/td>\n ~9,660,000<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
State Beaver Creek 1-23 HD1 (60621)<\/td>\n ~15,810,735<\/td>\n ~25,539,000<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n

These were genuine mega-fracks. Yet despite the cost and scale, the Collingwood did not produce at economic rates. Declines were steep, revenues were insufficient, and by June 2013 Halliburton rolled off the Westerman 1-29 HD1 pad for good. After all of our research watchdogging these large fracks, RMP predicted the play was finished and we would never see them again.  We were right!  We coined the phrase \u201cit\u2019s all about the rock\u201d meaning if the rock pays, the operator stays.  If the rock does not pay, the operator will not stay.  It\u2019s that simple.  But here we are 12 years later and FortyFive Energy LLC thinks it can unlock the potential of this 390 million year old organic rich carbonate marl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

November 2025: FortyFive Energy Returns \u2014 On the Same Pads Encana Built<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Twelve years later, FortyFive Energy has returned to the exact same pads Encana constructed in the early 2010s. Reusing existing infrastructure will significantly reduce site preparation costs, an important factor considering the size of the operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company\u2019s new WWAT filing proposes water use up to 17,394,300 gallons, placing the State Excelsior 1-14 HD1 firmly in the same mega-scale category as Michigan\u2019s largest historical HVHF jobs. But without sand listed on the pre-disclosure form, we have to guess if FortyFive Energy is trying something new like an acid matrix frack or if they just didn\u2019t list sand and are going to repeat what Encana did and get the same results.  Let\u2019s assume for a minute sand wasn\u2019t just omitted from disclosure, let\u2019s assume it\u2019s intentional and FortyFive Energy expects to try something different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michigan’s EQP-7200-26 chemical-additive pre-disclosure form lists no sand at all, despite the water volumes suggesting a full-scale stimulation. Instead, the disclosure includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n