HOUSTON, TEXAS (By Chevron, 29.Jul.2025, Words: 196) — After the oil and gas industry began using hydraulic fracturing in shale plays, it took less than 20 years for the U.S. to go from a net importer of oil to a net exporter of oil.
“Without hydraulic fracturing, we would not be energy independent right now in the United States,” said Jeff Newhook, a general manager of drilling and completions engineering supporting Chevron’s Permian basin operations.
- “The oil and gas we get from hydraulic fracturing impacts all of our lives daily, from the energy that lights our homes to the clothing we wear.” — jeff newhook, Chevron general manager of drilling and completions engineering
Until about five years ago, Chevron could hydraulically fracture only one well at a time, even though there are typically between three and seven wells on a single pad. The ability to triple-frac helps Chevron do more with less, improving its bottom line. Source: Chevron
Triple hydraulic fracturing in the Permian basin
Now, Chevron is employing an evolution of the technique to hydraulically fracture three wells at once, called triple-frac. In 2024, the company began taking this approach in the Permian Basin. That year, it completed approximately 25% of its wells this way.
Hydraulic fracturing is a completion technique for extracting oil and gas from difficult-to-access underground rock formations. It involves injecting high-pressure fluids into the ground to fracture the rock and release trapped oil and gas. Triple-frac is an evolution of this technique.
And Chevron is planning to use triple-frac on nearly 50% of its Permian wells in 2025. This will cut completion times by 25% and reduce costs per well by 12%, compared with simulfrac (hydraulically fracturing two wells at once).
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