In shale reservoirs, success depends on maximizing the amount of reservoir rock in contact with the well. Towards that end, operators rely heavily on horizontal wells and hydraulic fracturing. And while recent advances in these technologies have been key to the economic viability of these developments, said Doug Pferdehirt, Schlumberger reservoir production group president, there is considerable room for improvement. The challenge now is to continue to make step changes in our ability to contact larger volumes of the reservoir, to further increase reservoir contact in the most cost effective, efficient, and environmentally responsible manner possible, Pferdehirt told attendees at a recent Discovering Unconventional Gas conference. The need to continually hone the industry’s ability to exploit shales is driven by the fact that each shale reservoir is unique, with its own set of challenges.