Barnett Shale - Operators in The Barnett

Operators in The Barnett

Operators, such as EOG Resources, Gulftex Operating, Inc, and Devon Energy, stated in public reports in mid-2005 that they estimate that one third to one half of the land in the counties that contain the Barnett Shale, including the most heavily prospected counties like Johnson and Tarrant, will get wells. It would logically follow that the rest of the land will either get pooled in a unit that will have wells, or get nothing at all if the land is in an especially complex area. There have been few dry holes drilled, however, because technology like 3D Seismic allows operators to identify potential hazards before they drill and avoid bad areas. Some of the hazards include faults and karst features (sinkholes). Faults may divert hydraulic fracturing, reducing its effectiveness, and karst features may contain abundant water that limits the production of gas.