Convergence of existing technologies initiated rush to Eagle Ford shale
As one of the newest, largest, and therefore warmer shale, shale Eagle Ford came to prominence in the last three years. It seems that there must be a leap in technology, the price of oil and gas or something major to have opened the flood gates of the training.
Instead, it seems a convergence of two older technologies - horizontal / directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing - Eagle Ford put in a class by itself, according to Mark Sundland, manager of Anadarko Petroleum to drill.Sundland is scheduled to speak on this subject at the shelter in October (the development of unconventional gas) Eagle Ford conference in San Antonio hosted by Hart Energy.
"The technology involved in (horizontal drilling) is not really something new for us," Sundland said, adding hydraulic fracturing is not new either, having been around since the 1940s. "It is the application of the technology we use to play a different style and applying it to a new geological setting."
Anadarko won him great expertise in horizontal drilling 10 years ago when it purchased Union Pacific Resources, a company known for its pioneering work in the process. This technology was specifically used to develop Austin Chalk. "We like to say the Austin Chalk play was the first in the world resource," noted Sundland.
The ability to develop resources plays instead of the traditional point of attack tank plays laid the foundation not only for the Eagle Ford, but for all games of shale, according Sundland.
Historically, producers considered shale formations to be sources of oil and gas, but not to be access points because shale is not sufficiently porous or permeable to the release of its hydrocarbon effectively.
While old growth vertical could access only a small slice for training, horizontal drilling can cut through miles of the same rock layer. Anadarko to recording the length of horizontal hole is 8340 feet, with the average Eagle Ford holes to reach 6,000 feet horizontal.This greater exposure training was then combined with hydraulic fracturing, which created artificial permeability necessary to allow oil to flow to the pump.
Shale Rock Formation - News
Whereas the older vertical drills could access only a small slice of a formation, horizontal drilling can cut through miles of the same layer of rock. Anadarko's record for horizontal hole length is 8340 feet, with the average Eagle Ford hole coming in
Range Resources, based in Fort Worth, Texas, owns 1.2 million acres with access to the Marcellus Shale formation, an underground layer of rock that's rich with natural gas. North America is sits on top of numerous shale layers, but the Marcellus is
Fox, a Pennsylvania native, focuses on what is happening in his home state as drilling companies descend on the Marcellus Shale. The expansive, underground rock formation - which runs from West Virginia through Pennsylvania to New York, contains what

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Greenies poo poo massive energy find « James Board
A controversial exploration company "shale gas" in the UK says it could drill hundreds of wells in Lancashire to tap into the vast gas resources underground.
Cuadrilla resources, including exploration efforts near Blackpool has been interrupted earlier this year because of fears they were causing tremors, said that there were 200 billion cubic feet of gas under the land in the region.
A percentage of the gas could be recovered for use in the energy mix in the UK, offering up to 5,600 jobs, including 1,700 in the region, at the height of production, the company suggested.
But campaigners against the unconventional gas source warned the development of fossil fuels could attract investment away from the UK renewables industry potentially huge.
Drilling of Great Britain for the first shale gas beat expectations, with 5660 estimates the company responsible billion cubic meters are under the county of Lancashire, northwest England. This suggests the UK has far more resources than previous surveys forecast.
After completing three exploratory wells, cuadrilla Resources said Wednesday that its license area were sufficiently "gas up" supply all the UK's annual gas requirements for over 56 years - at least in theory.
In practice, only a fraction is likely to be recoverable. Experience in the United States, where the production of shale gas has changed the energy market, suggests that recovery rates of 10-20 percent.
Mark Miller, CEO cuadrilla, said: "recoverable reserves big start with a large" gas up "number. We have checked this box first."He added:" We are equivalent to - or exceed - the gas per square mile than you would find in cheek really successful in the United States. "
Previous estimates of the amount of shale gas in the UK now look very careful. The British Geological Survey had thought the country had only 150 billion cubic meters
Shale Rock Formation - Bookshelf
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New drilling techniques make it possible to extract natural gas from deep shale rock formations. The advances mean the United States has more abundant natural gas ...