The practice of producing two or more zones from the same wellbore without segregation by tubing and packer is known as commingled production. Commingled production is widely accepted practice in the shallow gas fields of Alberta and Saskatchewan. The advantages of commingled production include the following:

• Reduced capital cost for segregation equipment (tubing & packers),
• Improved well flow capacity (less friction loss, often less water loading),
• More well clean-out options to remove water accumulation.

For more information on commingling and some disadvantages, click here.

Within Southeastern Alberta, specifically in Alberta South of Township 31 and East of the 5th Meridian, under AEUB Board Order No. MU 1101, production from the following three zones may be commingled without an application or commingling notification, where the pools or zones share common ownership within the Drilling Spacing Unit:

1. Milk River Formation
2. Medicine Hat Sand
3. Second White Speckled Shale

Production within this same area from zones other than the three noted, or from wells outside this area or within the province of Saskatchewan, requires a regulatory application or notification, depending on the province and well attributes.

Clover Resources provides the service of collecting the necessary data, compiling the application and audit package necessary for applications and notification. Applications may be done on a well-by-well basis or in a batch of wells, where location, formations and ownership permit.