Matador's Eagle Ford Production Breaks Record in Q2 2014

August 8, 2014 Kirk Eggleston

Dallas, Texas-based Matador Resources hit record production levels portfolio-wide in the second-quarter of 2014, thanks mostly to its Eagle Ford Shale production. The company recorded a 30% quarter-on-quarter production increase to 15,424 boe/d, and a 46% increase year-over-year.

During the quarter, approximately 54% of the company’s natural gas production was liquids-rich natural gas, primarily from the Eagle Ford Shale. That's a jump compared to the year ago quarter when Matador's liquids-rich natural gas cut for its natural gas production was around 33%.

Matador's Permian Assets Help Boost Company Production

Matador's most significant oil producing assets are in the Eagle Ford Shale, but the company is also active in the Permian Basin, in West Texas and Southeastern New Mexico. During the quarter, the oil-rich Permian helped Matador achieve record oil production, representing an increase of 21% quarter-on-quarter to ~8,900 b/d.

“These record production results are directly attributable not only to the continued execution of our Eagle Ford development program but also to the positive, better-than-expected results from our initial wells in thePermian Basin. Notably, these results were achieved despite having as much as 10 to 15% of our total production capacity shut in or restricted at various times during the second quarter while offsetting wells were drilled and completed and pipeline connections were being made.”

— Matador's CEO, Joseph Foran

Matador Eagle Ford Position Growing Larger in 2014

Since the beginning of the year, Matador has acquired approximately 3,100 gross (2,900 net) acres in South Texas prospective for the Eagle Ford Shale in La Salle, Karnes and southern Atascosa Counties. According to company officials, the acreage has the potential to add up to 75 additional gross drilling locations to the company's South Texas development program.

Matador Eagle Ford Q2 2014 Operations Update

Matador had two drilling rigs operating in South Texas during the second quarter of 2014. During the quarter, the company completed and began producing from nine gross (6.2 net) Eagle Ford wells, including six gross (5.4 net) operated and three gross (0.8 net) non-operated Eagle Ford wells. Matador completed three operated Eagle Ford wells on its Northcut lease and two wells on its Martin Ranch lease in La Salle County and one well on its Lyssy lease in southern Wilson County. The three non-operated wells were completed on its Troutt lease in La Salle County.

As of August 6, 2014, Matador had two drilling rigs operating in the Eagle Ford. One of the rigs is on the company's Lyssy lease in southernWilson County and one is on its Pawelek lease in Karnes County.

Baron Energy Inc. Adds to Eagle Ford Acreage

August 7, 2014 Kirk Eggleston

A subsidiary of San Marcos, Texas-based Baron Energy, Inc. has purchased 8,082 Eagle Ford acres in Frio County, TX, including eight producing leases, for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition was announced by the company in early August of 2014, with an effective date of July 1, 2014.

According to Baron officials, the producing leases have gross production of 204 b/d oil and 180 mcf/d from 14 producers, and a drilling inventory of new wells and recompletions for up to five years. The company is the operator for all of the recently acquired properties.

“This acquisition increases our anticipated consolidated revenue tenfold to approximately $425,000 per month and provides the means to further increase revenue over the next 12 months by drilling new horizontal wells.”

— CEO, Ronnie Steinocher

The acquisition satisfies a major goal for Baron, according to Steinocher, providing the company with substantial future growth opportunities. Based on geological analogs, company officials believe new horizontal wells targeting the Austin Chalk could result in initial production (IP) rates of 150-500 b/d oil with 50,000 to 300,000 bbl of ultimately recoverable crude oil per well.

EOG Resources Increases Eagle Ford Reserve Potential 45%

August 6, 2014 Kirk Eggleston

EOG Resources Eagle Ford Reserve Potential

In its second quarter report, EOG Resources revealed a 45% increase in its Eagle Ford estimated potential reserves from 2.2 net BnBoe to 3.2 net BnBoe. This is the company's third reserve increase in four years. EOG officials expect continued production growth in the Eagle Ford, with a current drilling inventory of 12 years.

In the report, company officials said the Eagle Ford Shale was a significant contributor to EOG's U.S. crude oil production growth (33% year-over-year) and associated natural gas liquids (NGLs) growth (22% year-over-year). Natural gas production from the play was also credited as contributing to the company's total production growth. See below for EOG's U.S. production volumes for the quarter:

Crude Oil and Condensate - 274,600 b/d
NGLs - 78,500 b/d
Natural Gas - 925 MMcfd

EOG Eagle Ford Second Quarter Operations Update

In Karnes County, the McCoy Unit #1H and #2H began production at 5,290 and 5,415 b/d with 475 and 415 b/d of NGLs and 2.7 and 2.4 MMcfd of natural gas, respectively. The Wolf Unit #6H, #7H, #8H and #9H, began sales at rates ranging from 3,160 to 3,600 b/d with 310 to 390 b/d of NGLs and 1.8 to 2.3 MMcfd of natural gas.

Northeast of Karnes in DeWitt County, the Justiss Unit #11H, #12H and #13H had initial production rates of 4,000, 3,900 and 4,130 b/d with 690, 650 and 750 b/d of NGLs and 4.0, 3.8 and 4.3 MMcfd of natural gas, respectively.

In Gonzales County, EOG recorded a number of wells with strong initial production including the Boothe Unit #11H and #16H, which had rates of 4,570 and 3,245 b/d with 580 and 500 b/d of NGLs and 3.4 and 2.9 MMcfd of natural gas, respectively. The Zimmerman Unit #14H began sales at 3,800 b/d with 350 b/d of NGLs and 2.0 MMcfd of natural gas.

Southwest of Gonzales in La Salle County, the Naylor Jones Unit 127 #1H, #2H and #3H had initial production rates ranging from 2,200 to 2,500 Bopd with 220 to 250 Bpd of NGLs and 1.3 to 1.5 MMcfd of natural gas. EOG has 100 percent, 100 percent and 75 percent working interest in these wells, respectively.

EOG is the largest oil producer and acreage holder in the Eagle Ford, with ~632,000 net acres across the play.

Marathon Turns More Eagle Ford Wells to Sales in Q2 2014

August 5, 2014 Kirk Eggleston

In Marathon Oil's second quarter report released on Tuesday, higher density pad drilling and improved execution techniques were credited for a 55% quarter-on-quarter increase in gross operated wells turned to sales. The average time to drill an Eagle Ford well in the second quarter of 2014, spud-to-total depth, was 13 days - the company's goal for the year is 11 days.

Marathon's average net Eagle Ford production was 102,000 boe/d, representing an increase of 26% year-over-year and 6% quarter-on-quarter. Approximately 66% of net production was crude oil/condensate, 16% was natural gas liquids (NGLs) and 18% was natural gas.

Recently, Marathon sold its Norwegian assets for $2.7 billion to re-focus capital investments in the Eagle Ford Shale and other U.S. domestic assets. At the end of the second-quarter, Marathon had approximately $1.1-billion in E&P capital expenditures across its North American asset portfolio.

Marathon Eagle Ford Enhanced Completion Design

According to company officials, enhanced Eagle Ford completion design is delivering strong preliminary results. Wells with 180-day cumulative production are yielding on average 25% improvement relative to modeled type curves.

“We have high confidence in Eagle Ford volumes growth as our well results continue to outperform modeled type curves and deliver strong economics. This quarter we brought 76 gross operated Eagle Ford wells to sales. We expect that momentum to carry forward, generating double-digit production growth quarter-on-quarter in the Eagle Ford for the remainder of 2014.”

— Marathon CEO, Lee Tillman

Marathon Austin Chalk/Upper Eagle Ford Update

Marathon Oil continued its successful delineation of the Austin Chalk/Upper Eagle Ford for co-development with an initial 15,500 net acres now delineated. During the second quarter, the company brought online three Austin Chalk/Upper Eagle Ford wells, including two in the condensate window: the Children Weston 4H and the Franke well, which had a 30-day initial production (IP) rate of approximately 1,650 boe/d (73% liquids). The third well with a 30-day IP rate of 600 boed (90% liquids) was the first in the black oil window. Nine additional Austin Chalk/Upper Eagle Ford wells are currently being drilled, completed or awaiting first production.

Eagle Ford Shale Rig Count Increases by Two to 266

August 4, 2014 Kirk Eggleston

The Eagle Ford Shale rig count increased by two to 266 rigs running across our coverage area by the end of last week.

In recent news, Calgary-based Baytex Energy, a recent entrant into the Eagle Ford, announced in late June of 2014 that it’s selling its Bakken Shale assets in North Dakota to pay down a portion of its Eagle Ford debt.

In February, the company added 22,200 net contiguous acres in South Texas through its $2.8 billion acquisition of Aurora Oil & Gas, which closed in June of 2014.

The U.S. rig count increased by six to 1,889 rigs running by the end of last week. A total of 313 rigs were targeting natural gas (five less than the previous week) and 1,573 were targeting oil in the U.S. (11 more than the previous week). The remainder were drilling service wells (e.g. disposal wells, injection wells, etc.). 904or ~48% of rigs active in the U.S. were running in Texas.

Baker Hughes rig count is quoted here. Baker Hughes also releases its own Eagle Ford Rig Count that covers the 14 core counties (204 rigs). The rig count published on EagleFordShale.com includes a 30 county area impacted by Eagle Ford development. A full list of the counties included can be found in the table near the bottom of this article.

Eagle Ford Oil & Gas Rigs

The natural gas rig count decreased by one to eight rigs running by the end of last week. Average rig counts for natural gas production in 2012 were around 80 and then dropped to around 40 in 2013. Natural gas prices were flat from the previous week to $3.80/mmbtu on Friday afternoon.

The oil rig count increased by three to 258 rigs running by the end of last week. WTI oil prices decreased by ~$4 from the previous week, trading at $97.60/bbl on Friday afternoon. Eagle Ford light crude traded at $94.50/bbl on July 24th.

A total of 242 rigs are drilling horizontal wells, 10 rigs are drilling directional wells, and 14 rigs are drilling vertical wells. Karnes, La Salle, and De Witt each have at minimum 30 rigs running. Karnes County has the highest rig count this week at 33. See the full list below in the Eagle Ford Shale Drilling by County below

South Texas Oil & Gas News:

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Eagle Ford Shale Drilling by County

What is the Rig Count?

The Eagle Ford Shale Rig Count is an index of the total number of oil & gas drilling rigs running across a 30 county area in South Texas. The South Texas rigs referred to in this article are for ALL drilling reported by Baker Hughes and not solely wells targeting the Eagle Ford formation. All land rigs and onshore rig data shown here are based upon industry estimates provided by the Baker Hughes Rig Count.