Barnett Shale

Barnett rig count keeps falling to 27

Rigs working in the Barnett Shale kept falling this week, dropping by two to 27, the lowest in more than 10 years as producers continue to migrate toward fields that hold more profitable crude oil.
Even Wise County, which has led the Barnett in drilling for several years since natural gas prices dropped sharply, tapered off, with seven active rigs compared to 11 a week ago, according to RigData. Montague County, which like Wise has areas rich in oil and natural gas liquids, had four rigs, as did Denton and Tarrant counties.

Nationally, the rig count slipped by one to 1,761, even though rigs seeking gas rose by seven to 428, said Baker Hughes Inc. of Houston. Rigs seeking oil were down eight to 1,329. Four were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago, Baker Hughes counted 1,981 working rigs.
— Jim Fuquay

Barnett rig count up third straight week, to 40

Active drilling rigs in the Barnett Shale rose by three to 40, the third straight week of gain and a rebound from the 30 rigs that were running the week of Dec. 28, the lowest for the field in years. It's the busiest for the field since the week of Nov. 9, when there were also 40 active rigs, according to RigData. As has been the case for the past two years, activity was concentrated in Wise and Montague counties, which had 18 rigs seeking the oil and natural gas liquids found in that part of the Barnett. Tarrant, Denton and Jack counties each had four rigs.

-- Jim Fuquay 

Barnett rig count up three to 36 on Wise County drilling

Wise County's 10 active rigs pushed the Barnett Shale rig count to 36, up three from a week ago, according to RigData. Well over half the North Texas field's rigs are in the wet and "oily" portion of the field's northwest reaches, including Wise, Montague with six and Jack with five. Palo Pinto County, which doesn't often enter the picture, had a new vertical well by G&F Oil Inc., which also has a rig in Jack County. Johnson County had three active rigs, up from the one or two the former hotspot has been running in the past year. Devon Energy as usual is the busiest operator, with nine rigs, followed by EOG Resources with four and EnerVest Operating with three each

Nationally, rigs actively looking for oil and natural gas was down a dozen to 1,749. Houston-based Baker Hughes said iFriday. There were 1,316 rigs were exploring for oil and 429 for gas. Four were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago there were 2,008 active U.S. rigs.

-- Jim Fuquay

Barnett rig count down 8 to 30

Active drilling rigs in the Barnett Shale took an unusually large drop this week, down eight to 30, as icy weather could have delayed activity in the field, most of which received snow Christmas Day. Half the area's rigs were in Montague and Wise counties, where operators migrated months ago in search of oil and liquids-rich gas. Devon Energy was running seven rigs in four counties, while EOG Resources had five, all in Montague and Cooke counties, according to RigData. Montague was busiest with eight rigs, followed by Wise with seven, and Parker and Tarrant with three each.

Nationally, the rig count dropped 11 to 1,763. Rigs seeking crude oil were down 13, to 1,327, and rigs seeking natural gas were up two, to 431. Five were miscellaneous. 

-- Jim Fuquay

U.S. oil rig count at new high, Barnett rigs decline

Active U.S. oil rigs rose eight to 1,427, the most since separate oil and natural gas rig counts began in 1987, says Baker Hughes, the Houston-based oilfield services company. Drilling rigs seeking natural gas rigs slid by 20, to 522, and four rigs were classified as miscellaneous, putting total active rigs at 1,953. A year ago there were 1,905 active rigs in the country.

In the Barnett Shale, active rigs were down two to 45, as drilling continued to move to liquids-rich areas.
Montague and Wise counties led with 10 each, followed by Jack with seven and Tarrant with six.
— Jim Fuquay

 

Barnett Shale rigs continue migration to oil

Continuing a move to oil and liquids-bearing areas of the Barnett Shale, Wise County was the most active with 10 rigs. It was followed by Montague with nine, Jack with four and Stephens with three. Those counties have significant oil production. Tarrant County, the leader for years until recently, had eight. Total rigs in the field were down two, to 42.

Across the nation, active drilling rigs fell by 13 this week to 1,971, according to Baker Hughes Inc., which reported Friday that 1,405 rigs were exploring for oil and 562 were looking for gas. Four were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago this week, Baker Hughes reported 1,860 rigs. In the Barnett Shale active rigs declined by two to 42. 
— Jim Fuquay

Wise County tops Tarrant in active rigs

For the first time in years, Tarrant County does not lead the Barnett Shale in active drilling rigs. Wise County jumped in front this week with nine, compared to seven each in Tarrant and Montague counties. The changing of the guard illustrates drillers' continued migration in search of crude oil and liquids-rich natural gas, which are more plentiful in the northwestern reaches of the Barnett. In all there were 46 active rigs in the field, down two from a week earlier.

-- Jim Fuquay

Dallas could allow drilling near levees

The city of Dallas continues to work on its drilling ordinance, although there is relatively little activity in that city given the Barnett Shale's less-favorable quality east of Tarrant County. One issue involves how close to flood-control levees to allow drilling. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers bans drilling closer than 3,000 feet to levees on land it controls, the Dallas Morning News says, but proposed rules for the city set no such limits. The story is here.

-- Jim Fuquay

U.S. active rigs flat, Barnett up to 52

Active U.S. drilling rigs were unchanged this week, holding at 1,979, according to oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. There were 1,329 rigs exploring for oil and 647 for natural gas, with three listed as miscellaneous. A year ago this week Baker Hughes reported 1,782 active rigs. In North Texas’ Barnett Shale there were 52 active rigs, up two from March 24. Tarrant County led with 10 rigs, followed by seven in Wise County; six in Denton, Jack and Johnson counties; and five in Parker County.

— Jim Fuquay

 

FW Council votes down changes to gas drilling ordinance

After talking for months about revising its gas drilling ordinance, the Fort Worth City Council today voted against revisions to it.

While council members said they want more pubic input and need to continue exploring the issue, it is not clear where the city will go from here.

Councilwoman Kathleen Hicks said she would have preferred to see the revisions delayed rather than voted down.

The council did vote for a six-month extension on the city's moratorium on saltwater injection wells, which was scheduled to expire at the end of the month.

--Bill Hanna