Friday, December 25, 2009

Marcellus Shale - Bradford, Tioga, Lycoming, Potter, Clinton PA

The Marcellus Shale is growing fast as we enter 2010. Natural Gas driller Ultra Petroleum Corp. (UPL) announced earlier this week that the company will be expanding in Northern Pennsylvania soon.

Ultra Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: UPL) today announced that it has signed a purchase and sale agreement to acquire approximately 80,000 (net) acres in the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale, from a private company. Following the acquisition, Ultra Petroleum will hold approximately 250,000 net acres in this region, with the potential for 1,800 net drilling locations. Ultra Petroleum expects to pay roughly $400.0 million for the assets which will be financed using debt.

The company started 2009 with 288,000 gross (152,000 net) acres in the Marcellus. Through a combination of land acquisitions and swaps, including today’s announcement, Ultra Petroleum has added over 192,000 gross acres, nearly doubling its position to approximately 480,000 gross (250,000 net) acres. The company’s expanding core position is concentrated around Tioga, Bradford, Lycoming, Potter, Clinton and Centre counties in north central Pennsylvania.

Link - http://www.ultrapetroleum.com/pressreleases/12212009.pdf


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Monday, December 14, 2009

Exxon Mobil XOM to buy XTO Energy Inc.

Today, Exxon Mobile Corporation (XOM) has come out announced an agreement to acquire XTO Energy Inc (XTO) in an all stock deal for $41 billion.

From the Exxon Mobil Press Release:

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM) and XTO Energy Inc. announced today an all-stock transaction valued at $41 billion. The agreement, which is subject to XTO stockholder approval and regulatory clearance, will enhance ExxonMobil’s position in the development of unconventional natural gas and oil resources.

Under the terms of the agreement, approved by the boards of directors of both companies, ExxonMobil has agreed to issue 0.7098 common shares for each common share of XTO. This represents a 25 percent premium to XTO stockholders. The transaction value includes $10 billion of existing XTO debt and is based on the closing share prices of ExxonMobil and XTO on December 11, 2009. Full Article

XTO Energy Inc Operates in the following shale plays in the USA


Haynesville shale

Marcellus shale

Bakken shale

Fayetteville shale

Woodford shale


Who's the next takeout candidate?

Chesapeake Energy Corporation (CHK)
Devon Energy Corporation (DVN)
EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG)
Continental Resources Inc. (CLR)
Brigham Exploration Co. (BEXP)
Southwestern Energy Co. (SWN)
Forest Oil Corp. (FST)
Petrohawk Energy Corporation (HK)


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Friday, December 11, 2009

New Brunswick Shale - Apache Corp APA - Frederick Brooke Shale

Corridor Resources Inc (TSX:CDH) recently announced that they will enter into a farmout agreement with Apache Canada Ltd ( parent company Apache Corp. ). to tap test the Frederick Brooke Shale in southern New Brunswick, Canada.

December 7, 2009

Corridor Resources Inc. ("Corridor") announced today that it has entered into a farmout and option agreement ("Agreement") with Apache Canada Ltd. ("Apache") to appraise and potentially develop oil and natural gas resources in southern New Brunswick. Under the terms of the Agreement, Apache has committed to conduct an appraisal program consisting of any combination of seismic, drilling, fracturing, testing and completing or abandoning one or more horizontal or vertical oil, gas and/or shale gas wells. The program is to be conducted over the next 18 months at a cost of not less than $25 million and is intended to evaluate the commercial potential of natural gas development in the Frederick Brook shale formation and light oil development at the recent Caledonia oil discovery. Upon completion of this program, Apache will have earned a 50% working interest in the spacing units drilled.

Other Natural Gas Shale Fields in Canada: Horn River Shale - Montney Shale - Utica Shale

http://www.corridor.ca/media/2009-press-releases/20091207.html

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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Lycoming County PA - Marcellus Shale: Range Resources

October 14, 2009 - Range Resources Corp. (RRC) has come out with an operational update on the Marcellus Shale today and it appears the company is starting to drill in Lycoming County, PA.

Range Resources Corp. (RRC) Operational Update - 10/14/09

During the third quarter, the Marcellus Shale division continued to make excellent progress. Recently, we added two key members to our Marcellus team. Joe Frantz has been added as Vice President of Engineering and Scott Roy has been added as Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs. Both are leaders in their fields and bring substantial experience. The Marcellus Division is continuing to delineate and de-risk its large land position. We now have a rig in northeast Pennsylvania in Lycoming County drilling the first of two horizontal wells, which offset our high-rate vertical wells. We expect initial results from these two wells by early next year. We also plan to drill a Utica Shale horizontal and a shallow upper Devonian horizontal before year-end. Results of these two wells should be available by early first quarter.

Marcellus Shale production is well on plan and now exceeds 80 Mmcfe per day net and is expected to approach the higher end of the previously revised target of 90 - 100 Mmcfe per day net by year-end 2009. From inception, Range has drilled 77 horizontal Marcellus Shale wells, of which 60 have been completed and 54 are on production. The Company expects to drill and case approximately 20 additional horizontal wells in the Marcellus Shale play during the fourth quarter 2009 and carryover approximately 20 of these for completion in 2010. The Marcellus division is currently running a total of four horizontal rigs. We anticipate entering 2010 with six custom-built horizontal rigs. Full Press Release

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Monday, July 13, 2009

Forest Oil FST Haynesville Shale Red River Parish

The Haynesville Shale is alive and dandy despite natural gas prices plummeting. Forest Oil Corp. (FST) has come out today and announced a huge natural gas well as seen below.


Jul. 13, 2009-- Forest Oil Corporation (NYSE:FST) (Forest or the Company) today announced results from its second horizontal well in Red River Parish, Louisiana. The Driver 13-1H (100% WI) produced into the sales line at a rate of 20.3 MMcfe/d with 6500 psi flowing casing pressure in early July 2009. This prolific well was drilled and completed with a horizontal leg of 3,500 feet and a ten stage frac for a total well cost of approximately $9.0 million.

Forest holds approximately 11,050 net acres in Louisiana prospective for the Haynesville Shale and has identified 110 additional potential horizontal locations on this acreage. Forest intends to maintain a one-rig drilling program in Red River Parish for the remainder of 2009 and an additional rig in other prospective areas in the play.

H. Craig Clark, President and CEO, stated, “We are very pleased with the results from this Red River well. Our drilling and completion design delivered a well with results which are at the high end of the range for initial production per lateral length and number of frac stages for only $9 million. We intend to further improve costs and efficiencies as we expand upon our drilling effort in the play. Further, we intend to allocate a horizontal development rig to Red River Parish for the foreseeable future to exploit our acreage position. Our second rig will work both Texas and Louisiana properties in the future.

“Forest intends to continue its current horizontal drilling effort in the Haynesville Shale and the Texas Panhandle Granite Wash areas in order to refine its drilling and completion techniques. When costs and commodity prices improve to more attractive levels, Forest intends to deploy a rig count commensurate with its size and scale focused in these areas.”

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=92251&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1306958&highlight=


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Saturday, May 16, 2009

Marcellus Shale Update - May 18, 2009

Drilling activity in the Marcellus Shale has died down but is still out there. The recent drop in natural gas prices have put pressure on profit margins. Below is a Marcellus Shale update for 5/18/09


ENTRY INTO MARCELLUS AND DEEP TEST WELL COMPLETED IN NEW YORK

UNBRIDLED ENERGY CORP ( UNEFF ) announces it has successfully drilled the stratigraphic test well on its Chautauqua Lake acreage in western New York. The well was drilled, cored and logged to a total depth of 7,300’ as planned.

This well, drilled in conjunction with New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) was an effort to test the potential of several deep horizons in the area. The exact well location was determined using 2-D seismic. The data from the logs and core is currently being evaluated.

http://www.unbridledenergy.com/news/article.aspx?id=92

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Haynesville Shale Update May 18, 2009

Lower natural gas prices have cut back a lot of drilling in the haynesville shale which is located in East Texas and North Louisiana. Below is a look back at last weeks activity in the haynesville shale natural gas field.

Haynesville Shale Report - 5/18/09

Mainland Resources, Inc. and JV Partner Spud Third Haynesville Shale Well on the Company's DeSoto Parish, Louisiana Property

Mainland Resources, Inc., (OTC Bulletin Board: MNLU; 5MN-Frankfurt) a Nevada Corporation (the "Company") reports that its Joint Venture (JV) Partner and Operator has commenced drilling operations on the Company's third JV well to evaluate additional potential of the Haynesville Shale gas formation on Mainland's Louisiana leases.

The Dehan et al 15#1H was spud on May 4, 2009 and is currently drilling at 6850 feet.
The well will be drilled to approximately 12,000 feet or a depth to sufficiently test the Haynesville Shale formation. Mainland will own a 25.42% Working Interest in this unit. The JV Partner and Operator will have a 38.12472% Working Interest in the well.

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