It’s an issue Permian Basin oil and gas operators have been grappling with as they drill wells in tighter and tighter quarters: How to keep hydraulic fracturing of the newer or “child” wells from interfering or damaging the older or “parent” wells or being damaged them...

As US shale wells fall short of production projections by 15-40% (Wall Street Journal, December 29, 2019, (As Shale Wells Age Gap Between Forecasts And Performance Grows), E&Ps are drilling more wells on their acreage to compensate. These new “child” wells, drilled in...