Eagle Ford Production Doubles in Two Months - Bentek

Bentek is quoted in a recent Reuters article about oil & gas pipelines in the Gulf Coast that Eagle Ford Shale production doubled over a two month period from May to July. That seems crazy, but if it is true, it is a glimpse of what's to come in the Eagle Ford. I will not be surprised when the Eagle Ford Shale rivals the Bakken Shale in terms of production in the next couple of years. The Bakken, in North Dakota, is several years ahead of our South Texas play and produces over 300,000 barrels or oil per day.

Eagle Ford production doubled in two months and now stands at 160,000 bpd, according to energy consultancy Bentek.

Read the full press release at Reuters.com

Talisman Energy's Adds Fracking and Completion Crews

Talisman Energy recently completed an Eagle Ford Shale Acreage Acquisition from SM Energy and now has two in house completion crews that will administer fracking operations across the play. The decision to build the Talisman led hydraulic fracturing crews delayed oil & gas operations earlier in the year, but the company should be able to ramp up activity without the inflation other operators are experiencing. Economic results have been strong and this is another sign that Talisman and the like are planning to be here for the long haul.

In the Eagle Ford, we're continuing to ramp up activity, and we'll exit with 10 rigs operating there. We now have 2 completion teams fully up and running, and they have a continuous program as we build production from the area. We were a little slower than we had hoped in getting the completion activity started this year because we wanted to use our own dedicated crews rather than utilize existing service companies at the very high spot rates earlier in the year. This will reduce our average production from the play for this year because we can't make up for the period we delayed, but the crews at least are now fully up and running.

Read the full press release at SeekingAlpha.com

SM Energy Spending More in the Eagle Ford

SM Energy plans to continue to the ramp up of activity in the Eagle Ford Shale and announced an increase to the company's capital budget for the remainder of the year. The company plans to spend over $1.5 billion developing oil & gas properties, with over $800 million allocated to the Eagle Ford Shale alone. The increase is funded by recent divestitures, which included a JV with Mitsui and the sale of acreage to a partnership between Talisman and Statoil. Read more about SM Energy's Eagle Ford Shale operations and acreage on the SM company page. SM's operations are primarily located in Webb County near the Texas and Mexico border.

The primary increase to the 2011 capital budget results from differences regarding the size and timing of the Company's previously announced Eagle Ford shale transactions, compared to assumptions made when they were originally budgeted. The reduction in SM Energy's total Eagle Ford shale position will not be as large as was assumed at the beginning of the year. The scheduled closing dates for these transactions are also later in the year than originally budgeted. As a result, higher amounts of production and capital expenditures will be recognized by the Company in 2011. The capital budget is also being increased to reflect the decision to continue drilling in the Company's operated Haynesville shale position in East Texas until its leasehold position is held by production in 2012. More detailed production and cost guidance for the remainder of 2011 is provided later in this release.

Read the full press release at SM-Energy.com

Eagle Ford Shale Drilling Jobs Available

Available drilling jobs in the Eagle Ford Shale are now easier than ever to locate through the Jobs section at EagleFordShale.com. And, for employers, introductory pricing is now available to list your job openings. The shale play is booming across South Texas. Not only are employers from large oil and gas cities like Houston, Dallas, and Oklahoma City looking for help, but the smaller towns across the play are also ripe with opportunity for jobs related to oil & gas drilling. If you're looking for a job in South Texas or with a major operator, be sure to check the Eagle Ford job listings for your opportunity.

EagleFordShale.com is committed to providing up to date information on activity and news in the South Texas' booming oil & gas industry. Stay tuned for our daily updates and our weekly update on the South Texas rig count. Better yet, Subscribe by RSS or Subscribe by Email to get news daily.

Eagle Ford Shale Fracking on Task Force Agenda

The Eagle Ford Shale Task Force was announced and met for the first time this past week. High on the list of priorities will be setting best practices for Hydraulic Fracturing across the play. Drilling problems in other states have created a stir around the topic of fracking, which means the task force will help inform the public around the subject and alleviate any misinformation that is reported.

"For Texas, the consequences of fracking are big and getting bigger. Development of the Barnett Shale in North Texas and the Eagle Ford Shale, which covers a large swath of South Texas, has created an economic boom."

"The Center for Community and Business Research at the University of Texas at San Antonio looked at the economic impact of the Eagle Ford deposit. In a study released in February, the center estimated that by 2020 the Eagle Ford would account for close to $11.6 billion in gross state product, $21.6 billion in total economic output and support close to 68,000 full-time jobs."

Railroad Commissioner David Porter deserves praise for recognizing the promise and the peril of fracking. Having learned from problems in the Barnett Shale, Porter created a 22-member Eagle Ford Task Force of stakeholders — including environmentalists — to communicate with the public, address thorny issues such as water and develop a system of best practices.

Fracking presents Texas and the nation with a tremendous opportunity to develop domestic sources of natural gas, a relatively clean form of energy. The Eagle Ford Task Force can play a big part in turning that opportunity into a reality.

Read the full news release at MySanAntonio.com