Our Innovation Analysts recently looked into emerging technologies and up-and-coming startups working on solutions for the energy sector. As there is a large number of startups working on a wide variety of solutions, we want to share our insights with you. This time, we are taking a look at 5 promising hydraulic fracturing startups.
Heat Map: 5 Top Hydraulic Fracturing Startups
Using our StartUs Insights Platform, covering 1.116.000+ startups & emerging companies, we looked at innovation in the field of energy. For this research, we identified 88 relevant solutions and picked 5 to showcase below. These companies were chosen based on a data-driven startup scouting approach, taking into account factors such as location, founding year, and technology among others. Depending on your specific criteria, the top picks might look entirely different.
The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights 5 startups & emerging companies developing hydraulic fracturing solutions. Moreover, the Heat Map reveals regions that observe a high startup activity and illustrates the geographic distribution of all 88 companies we analyzed for this specific topic.
EDEN GeoTech – Waterless Reservoir Stimulation
The increase in reliance on natural gas rather than coal is a much-debated way forward in the energy sector. Natural gas burns cleaner than coal and at much lower costs compared to coal. However, hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, is a process that fractures rock beds with high-pressure water to release the natural gas or oil deposit in the rocks. Startups now develop innovative fracking technologies, such as waterless reservoir stimulation, to minimize water usage in the process.
The US-based startup EDEN GeoTech develops injection-free reservoir stimulation. With the help of its technology, the startup uses electric energy to change the properties of rock formations and create microfractures. Consequently, this process yields increased permeability resulting in the efficient extraction of hydrocarbons. Additionally, the startup’s solution finds applications in areas where there is an extreme water shortage thanks to its waterless injection-free technology.
Cavortex – Wastewater Treatment
The water used in frac operations is a mixture of water, sand, and chemicals. This ‘mud’ is also used in creating fissures in the rock formations that trap hydrocarbons. The fracking water contains vast amounts of brine, toxic metals, and radioactive elements and requires treatment. The efficient treatment of this wastewater is a major obstacle that startups are now focusing on.
The US-based startup Cavortex provides wastewater treatment solutions for fracking operations. The Cavortex Reactor uses hydrodynamic cavitation to change the molecular structure of certain elements in the wastewater, making them inert. Moreover, the startup further processes the water to make it Class-A recycled water which is fit for human consumption.
PETRAM Technologies – Electro-Hydraulic Fracturing (EHF)
Each frac site uses a minimum of 20 large diesel engines to power the fracking operations. Electric powered turbine engine generators are a sustainable replacement compared to diesel engines that enable improved safety and reduced emissions. These turbine generators generate high pressure that fracking uses to create rock fissures. Emerging companies develop electro-hydraulic fracturing technologies that minimize the negative impact on the environment.
The US-based startup PETRAM Technologies creates green-fracking solutions. By using patented electro-hydraulic fracking technology, the startup uses a non-Newtonian water cornstarch mixture to achieve a high-velocity impact phenomenon. As a result, the rock fractures without any vibrations and produces minimal non-toxic fumes. The technology also finds applications in urban underground civil engineering, precision nuclear containment facility demolition, and gas pipeline excavation.
NeuDax – Artificial Intelligence (AI) For Well Monitoring
Traditionally, well monitoring and managing well conditions and other parameters have been manual processes. Artificial intelligence tools now oversee well monitoring and other operations to reduce costs and improve accuracy in decision making. In an industry with low margins, such innovative solutions significantly increase the profit margins.
The US-based startup NeuDax delivers AI-based solutions for upstream oil and gas companies. FracDax, the startup’s AI platform for developing unconventional resources, uses machine learning, deep learning, and reinforcement learning to predict accurate solutions. It analyzes well or pad parameters and completion options to provide re-fracking solutions for existing wells.
Commando Pressure Control – Enhanced Pressure Pumping
The fracking process depends on high-pressure impact to create rock fissures in unconventional resources. Environmental concerns around pressure pumping such as water table contamination and well collapses are major drawbacks for the industry. Startups create innovative solutions, such as enhanced pressure pumping, to overcome these challenges.
The US-based startup Commando Pressure Control develops pressure-based frac technologies. Their patented solution, Mobile Zipper Unit, creates a central tie-in point for multiple wellbores and switches the flow between the wells to create seamless pressure. As a result, this eliminates the wells breaking and the retesting at every stage. Additionally, this maximizes pump performance by reducing pressure variations.
What About The Other 83 Solutions?
While we believe data is key to creating insights it can be easy to be overwhelmed by it. Our ambition is to create a comprehensive overview and provide actionable innovation intelligence so you can achieve your goals faster. The 5 hydraulic fracturing startups showcased above are promising examples out of 88 we analyzed for this article. To identify the most relevant solutions based on your specific criteria, get in touch.
