Frequently Asked Questions

HMPA can sense oil accumulations, however it cannot determine at what depth a reservoir exists. HMPA cannot predict reservoir pressures nor determine which pay zones to target. We can use area geology to make a guess but the instrument itself will not determine this. There have been some alternative technologies that claim to be able to identify the exact pay zones being detected, however we do not make that claim. Many of our Kansas zones such as the Lansing, have members that are separated by only a few feet and we don’t believe it possible to see that small depth difference.

HMPA simply tells us where the thickest oil column is at depth. For example, that can be one thick productive Arbuckle zone or several productive LKC zones stacked on each other. We are able to see some differences in reservoir characteristics such as differentiating between the Arbuckle which is a Dolomitic and large volume reservoir vs. the LKC which is a much thinner limestone reservoir. Shallow oil reservoirs tend to read weaker in general than more robust, deeper ones.

At this time, we have an approximate 70% success rate at choosing drill site locations. Unfortunately our technology cannot determine bottom hole pressures which attributes to a percentage of what we consider to be unsuccessful.

We have a 95% success rate at predicting dry holes. We determine this from the operators who have gone against our advice and drilled their locations. In the early stages of surveying, we encountered a problem with power line interference (attributing in part to the 5% failure rate). We have since remedied this problem. 

HMPA has been proven to work successfully in Niobrara, Anadarko & Permian basins.

Including the states of Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Kentucky, Utah, Montana, & Indiana.

The minimum survey we will conduct is an 80 acre tract. For best results, a 160 acre tract minimum is preferred. Small surveys can be deceptive because it is just as important to know what HMPA levels are like off of a reservoir as it is to know what they are like over one. For example, a 40 acre study over an 80 acre reservoir will make it impossible to determine where the reservoir boundaries are. 

The HMPA signal appears to receive part of its energy from the sun’s radiation. This means HMPA surveys cannot be conducted at night and should not begin until 2 hours after sunrise. Surveys must be terminated no later than 1 hour before sunset. Cloudy days do not impact the study results as the Sun's radiation passes through the clouds.

In terms of weather, more stable weather patterns are best for survey results.

We avoid planning surveys on a day when the weather is forecast to experience a drastic change such as a strong weather front passing through or on a day when the temperature is forecast to drastically change +/- 20 degrees in a short period of time.

Surveys cannot be conducted during any kind of storm that produces lightning or significant static discharges. Surveys should not be conducted while heavy precipitation is falling.

Snow on the ground, or moist soil from a previous rain should not affect the study results, although conducting a study over tracts with standing water from a previous rain is not advised.