This chapter examines and interprets the vertical stratigraphy, and sometimes lateral attributes, of the barnett shale, woodford shale, new albany shale, marcellus shale, haynesville shale, eagle. In 20, commercial vehicles, such as trucks used in drilling operations, were involved in nearly a third of fatal traffic accidents in the eagle ford shale and a quarter of accidents in the permian basin, compared with 15 percent of accidents statewide. Although the eagle ford shale is a relatively recent development, rock units above and below the eagle ford shale have a long history of oil and gas interest. Most wells were vertical wells and focus was austin chalk. This estimate consists of undiscovered, technically recoverable resources in continuous accumulations. Well production data, the historical record of activity in the nearby barnett shale and other. The eagle ford shale eagleford shale discovered in 2008 is a sedimentary rock formation from the late cretaceous age underlying much of south texas which covers 3000 square miles and consists of an organicrich marine shale that also has been found to appear in outcrops braithwaite, 2009. Eog is the top oil producer in the eagle ford, having withdrawn more than 79 million barrels from the ground in 2016, according to the railroad commission of texas. Eagle ford shale companies are looking to an old friend the austin chalk, the target of the last boom in south texas. Usgs estimates oil and gas in texas eagle ford group. Jul 06, 2015 while the nation was celebration the fourth of july, three companies broke an oil industry record in the eagle ford shale just south of san antonio. Apache also started producing from eagle ford shale in 2006.
Houston oil major conocophillips is preparing for a major round of drilling in the eagle ford shale of south texas. Thousands of wells have been drilled since then and the eagle. Oil and gas have been produced above the eagle ford from the olmos formation and the austin chalk. Oil production in south texas eagle ford shale formation rose to a record in march, up more than on year and posting a record. May 23, 2011 but drilling in the eagle ford, a 400milelong formation stretching from east texas to webb county, has touched off a hiring frenzy in south texas that is generating thousands of jobs. The eagle ford shale contains both kaolinite and smectiterich altered ash beds that present challenges for. The eagle ford group of texas contains estimated means of 8. The number of producing oil leases in the eagle ford shale. While production is in decline at the moment due to the oil market downturn, it is only a matter of time before producers reaccelerate drilling activities in this oilrich shale play. Jan 08, 2019 from the marcellus in pennsylvania to the bakken in north dakota to the eagle ford in south texas, hydraulic fracturing led to dramatic increases in oil and gas production from new shale plays as well as a resurgence in production from more established fields like the permian. Lewis energy group envisioned the eagle ford play for decades and relentlessly pursued the most advanced technology. The eagle ford is predominantly composed of organic matterrich fossiliferous marine shales and marls with interbedded thin limestones. Fracked shale oil wells drying up faster than predicted, wall.
Marathon oil cuts drilling budget amid 56 percent drop in. Eagle ford shale facts and information natural gas intel. In 2011, production averaged 65,500 bopd in the play. The eagle ford shale formation upper cretaceous in the gulf coast. The discovery of the eagle ford shale a decade ago served as the jumpingoff point for a u. Eagle ford shale study petrophysical and geological analysis. Impact of ash beds on production in eagle ford shale onepetro. May 26, 2011 the eagle ford formation also called the eagle ford shale is a sedimentary rock formation from the cretaceous age underlying much of south and east texas in united states, consisting of organic matterrich fossiliferous marine shale. Shale king eog resources is the topdog in the eagle ford where it is the largest producer and leading acreage holder. We were the first company to drill in the eagle ford shale. The eagle ford shale is a hydrocarbonproducing geological formation extending over 26 counties. Recent advances in horizontal drilling technology allow companies to extract oil. Energy information administration updates to the eagle ford shale play maps 2 the eagle ford play boundaries the eagle ford play figure 1 has four major boundaries. The shale play trends across texas from the mexican border into east texas.
The company expects some 570,000 barrels of oil equivalent from each of the 600 wells it has so far drilled, amounting to a total of nearly 342 million barrels of oil equivalent. Bhp at the end of june had nearly 1,000 net wells producing in the eagle ford shale, the 400milelong oil field in south texas, according to corporate reports. Texas that primarily produce gas, the eagle ford shale features high oil yields and. Since 2008, more than 7,000 oil and gas wells have been sunk into the brittle, sedimentary rock.
This is the most comprehensive map of the eagle ford shale area available. Highlights, shale plays best of this weeks drilling activity highlights april 24, 2020 results from an eog resources multiwell permian basin prospect in reeves county, texas, and a new north slope wildcat in alaska top this weeks drilling activity highlights from around the world. From the late 1970s through the 1990s, the austin chalk was a bright spot in. The eagle ford shale, which is located in southern texas and features separate dry gas, wet gascondensate, and crude oil windows, may only have six years of production history, but it has quickly. The upper cretaceous cenomanian to turonian eagle ford shale, currently one of the most active gas shale plays in the world, extends 400 mi from the maverick basin and adjacent western san marcos arch in south and central texas to the east texas basin fig. The researchers estimate that over the fiveyear period, 159 billion cubic feet of gas was flared in the eagle ford shale area. Today, lewis energy is the most aggressive exploration and production company in this exciting play. Eagle ford shale was formed in the upper cretaceous series with gas, condensate, and oil windows overlain. The wells target the sugarkane field of the eagle ford geological layer down to a total depth of 17,500 feet.
By sharon kelly, originally published by desmog blog in 2015, pioneer natural resources filed a report with the federal securities and exchange commission, in which the shale drilling and fracking company said that it was drilling the most productive wells in the eagle ford shale in texas. Eagleford shalegas study bureau of economic geology. This study provides a petrophysical and geological analysis of 210 eagle ford wells that allows insight into the connectivity of textural attributes of the wells with nulook shale vision and nuview 3d reservoir vision. The eagle ford group also called the eagle ford shale is a sedimentary rock formation deposited during the cenomanian and turonian ages of the late cretaceous over much of the modernday state of texas. Higher volumes of natural formation water present in near shale. The first well was drilled in the eagle ford share in 2008. History of the eagle ford shale in less than five years, the eagle ford shale has become one of the most drilled shale formations in the united states. The eagle ford shale is a hydrocarbonproducing geological formation of significant importance due to its capability of producing both natural gas and also more oil than other traditional shale plays. Eagleford shale gas study bureau of economic geology. Because horizontal shale drilling requires advanced technology and drilling at greater depths. Oil and natural gas extraction is booming in eagle ford shale. But drilling in the eagle ford, a 400milelong formation stretching from east texas to webb county, has touched off a hiring frenzy in south texas that is generating thousands of jobs.
The san antonio business journal is providing a look at the top five from one of the lists in our sept. Cabot energy has operations throughout the us, but the eagle ford shale, haynesville shale, and to the greatest extent the marcellus shale are the companys core assets. Why the eagle ford was the hottest shale play of 20 the. The heterogeneity of the eagle ford shale is addressed by obtaining conductivity samples in two different directions with respect to the bedding plane for the five geological facies. Several operators, including anadarko, chesapeake, and newfield, all expect to develop the pearsall over time aka. Eagle ford shale news updates delivered from the south texas oilfield. The eagle ford shale field in the gulf coast basin of south. Formation characteristics result in high produced water generation. According to the american petroleum institute api hydraulic fracturing was first introduced in the united states in 1947. Energy information administration predicts an average 14,000 barrelperday decline in the eagle ford shale in december compared to novembers projected production.
Eia predicts continued downward trend in eagle ford oil, gas. Eagle ford players discuss future of oil and development. The hotels below often offer special rates for eagle ford workers. The eagle ford shale field in the gulf coast basin of south texas. In april 20, pemex started producing the nations first shale gas well, just south of the u.
At lewis energy, we understand your property concerns, because we. Known as the eagle ford shale play, this 400milelong, 50milewide bacchanal of oil and gas extraction stretches from leon county, texas, in the northeast to the mexican border in the southwest. History of the eagle ford shale universal royalty company. Jul 22, 2019 shales like the eagle ford will propel the united states into a net exporter by the late 2020s. Epa unconventional oil and natural gas development.
Eagle ford region april 2020 drilling productivity report. The eagle ford formation isnt the only shale formation experiencing a hydraulic. Eagle ford shale companies, counties, geology, location. The eagle ford shale is a geological formation directly beneath the austin chalk formation. Abbott, speaking at hart energys recent dug eagle ford conference and exhibition in san antonio, told attendees that marathon is seeing fantastic returns in the shale play with reliable production, capital. The oil reserves in the eagle ford shale play were estimated in 2011 at 3 billion barrels. The discovery of the hawkville field in south texas by petrohawk energy led to the first commercial production from the eagle ford shale in 2008.
The 5 companies dominating the eagle ford shale play the. The shale drilling peak of a decade ago may never return, but the coronavirus. Situated in south texas, the total eagle ford liquids production in 2007 was less than 21,000 bbl total. Chk, in its recent q1 conference call, cited some fairly impressive numbers with regards to the eagle ford shale. The eagle ford shale is a hydrocarbonproducing formation of significant importance due to its capability for producing at highliquidgas ratios, more so than other traditional shale plays. Play area and structural controls of the upper cretaceous eagle ford shale of south, central, and east texas. Promising initial results help lead to increase in eagle ford shale activity. A drilling rig in the eagle ford shale in south texas is seen in this petrohawk energy corporation handout photograph released to reuters on july 14, 2011.
According to a new report from the international energy agency. City hall in karnes city highlights the areas oildrilling history. Its pumping more than twice the oil it did three years ago, accounting for more than a third of all domestic production, even as production surges elsewhere in the country. The eagle ford group is a sedimentary rock formation deposited during the cenomanian and. Study uses satellites to count flares near eagle ford shale. Aug 17, 2018 americanstatesman analysis of county budgets for some counties in the eagle ford shale region shows that most of the windfall generated by the oil boom has been consumed by fixing what the boom. Eagle ford breaks the record for largest shipment of frac.
The company said it has 7,200 locations for drilling in the shale and completed 304 new wells in 2018. Bhp billiton petroleum wants out of shale san antonio. Cabots oilweighted drilling activity is focused on its 89,000 net acre position in the eagle ford shale, principally located in atascosa and frio counties, texas. In the eagle ford shale region, hydraulic fracturing is used in combination with horizontal drilling and other technological innovations for a more effective recovery of oil and natural gas. It is considered to be the source rock, or the original source of hydrocarbons that are contained in the austin chalk and the edwards formation above it. Recent advances in horizontal drilling technology allow companies to extract oil and natural gas from shale, bringing new jobs and growing wealth to many rural communities in south texas. Home eagle ford shale resources blume library at st. Eagle ford players discuss future of oil and development in. Sequence stratigraphy of unconventional resource shales. The drilling productivity report uses recent data on the total number of drilling rigs in operation along with estimates of drilling productivity and estimated changes in production from existing oil and natural gas wells to provide estimated changes in oil and natural.
Eagle ford shale news, companies, maps, geology and jobs. Eagle ford shale covers approximetely 11 million acres extending from texasmexico border to the eastern borders of gonzales and lavaca counties in texas. Oil and gas emission inventory, eagle ford shale alamo area. The number of producing oil leases in the eagle ford shale increased by about 6,300 percent from 2009 to. Sep 06, 2016 so there is nothing wrong with the eagle ford shale at all. It stretches from the mexican border between laredo and eagle pass up through counties east of temple and waco.
Moderate long term produced water generating plays 200 1,000 gallons per mmcf eagle ford shale. Eagle ford shale has been a success story of the oil and gas industry in north america beginning 2008 with the drilling of the wells targeting the eagle ford shale play. The eagle ford shale formation upper cretaceous in the gulf coast basin of south texas was first commercially produced in 2008 and has since achieved production and reserve growth that is virtually unprecedented in the history of onshore north american oil and gas development. Emerging plays in argentina and russia have some historical success in terms of production, but. The eagle ford shale of south texas was once one of the fastestgrowing oil fields in the world. It contains a much higher carbonate shale percentage, upwards to 70% in south texas, and becomes shallower and the shale content increases as it moves to the northwest. Eagle ford shale boom began with secretive leasing. Eagle ford permits spurred by technological advances like hydraulic fracturing, texas has reached production numbers unseen in more than three decades. Oil production in sth texas eagle ford shale formation rose to a record in march, up more than 77% from a year ago. South texas shale royalty fights head to court in 2018.
Also available to coincide with the study is a geotextural rock properties log that depicts the brittleness of the formation. The eagle ford shale, which is located in southern texas and features separate dry gas, wet gascondensate, and crude oil windows, may only have six years of production history. Life on the eagle ford shale during the boom san antonio. In a texas oil town, pain but no panic as prices crash the new. The eagle ford shale is a hydrocarbon producing formation of significant importance due to its capability of producing both gas and more oil than other traditional shale plays. Jan 15, 2019 in 2015, pioneer natural resources filed a report with the federal securities and exchange commission, in which the shale drilling and fracking company said that it was drilling the most productive wells in the eagle ford shale in texas. Administration estimated that the eagle ford shale play held about 50. The pearsall shale is a gas bearing formation that garnered attention near the texasmexico border in the maverick basin before eagle ford development truly kicked off. Get energy news sent directly to your inbox haynesville shale. Infographic apr 18, 2017 apr 14, 2017 eagle ford shale rig count reverses trend apr 14, 2017 apr 12, 2017 new drilling permits spike in texas apr 12, 2017. The pearsall shale is found below the eagle ford at depths of 7,00012,000 ft, with a thickness of 600900 ft. Fracked shale oil wells drying up faster than predicted. Production rocketed from a mere few hundred barrels per day bpd at its discovery in 2008 up to a.
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