CNX Gas ( CXG ) Operations Update 10/22/08

CNX Gas (CXG ) has come out with really good earnings this morning to kick off the earnings season for the Oil & Gas drillers.

In the Marcellus Shale during the third quarter, CNX Gas drilled its first and second horizontal wells in southwestern Pennsylvania. The first horizontal well cost $6 million and was stimulated with a five-stage slickwater frac. An open flow test was not conducted on this well. It came online October 2, and is producing 1.2 MMcf per day with 4,000 pounds of backpressure. The daily flow rate is expected to increase dramatically over the next few weeks as the backpressure is gradually eased. The nearby coalbed methane gathering system has the capacity to handle up to 2.5 MMcf per day from this horizontal well and is being expanded within the next two weeks to handle additional volumes.
Also," Mr. Albert continued, "the vertical Marcellus Shale well that we turned online in July 2008 is currently producing 450 Mcf per day. We believe that the well has some sand issues, and could return to a daily production rate of 700-800 Mcf after cleaning."
CNX Gas will keep one horizontal rig and one vertical rig running in the Marcellus Shale for the remainder of the year.

In the Chattanooga Shale, CNX Gas drilled three horizontal wells in the quarter, bringing the yearly total to seven, and the project total to eight. No wells were connected during the September quarter, although the fifth well was connected last week. The first four wells are seeing current daily production rates of 230, 160, 100, and 230 Mcf per day, for a total of 720 Mcf per day. The daily rates for the better wells have been stable.

In the Huron Shale during the third quarter, CNX Gas drilled one additional horizontal well in eastern Kentucky. A total of two Huron wells have been drilled in 2008. The rig performing this drilling has returned to Tennessee to drill Chattanooga Shale wells for the remainder of the year. CNX Gas is building out gathering and compression in this area, with an expected in-service date of March 2009.

For more on Natural Gas Shales in the USA and Canada - visit - http://oilshalegas.com