福门特拉岛加入 EOG 的行列,在南德克萨斯州进行油田勘探

Formentera Partners 管理合伙人 Bryan Sheffield 表示,该页岩曾被称为“令人心碎的页岩”,该公司希望通过更大的完井和更长的水平段来破解 Pearsall 密码。EOG Resources 也在勘探该页岩。


十多年前就有传言称,位于德克萨斯州中南部的鹰福特 (Eagle Ford) 下方的皮尔萨尔页岩 (Pearsall Shale) 石油和凝析油窗口是一个新油田。

今天,“审判仍在进行中”,Formentera Partners执行合伙人 Bryan Sheffield告诉 Hart Energy。

但他补充说,“我们要去钻探。”

2010 年代初,野猫钻井公司从 Pearsall 水平井中开采出液体。但事实证明,EUR 并不经济。

谢菲尔德今天的前提是基于这样一个事实:操作员正在使用当时最好的压裂配方,并且水平段长度为一英里或更短。

例如,他说,其中一次试验是2014 年在弗里奥县进行的马拉松石油井 Whitley-Dubose #1H 的试验。“这口井位于我们区块的中间。”

根据提交给德克萨斯铁路委员会 (RRC) 的完井报告,水平段长度为 5,736 英尺,在 20 级压裂中,每英尺水平段的支撑剂为 475 磅。压裂液为 16 桶/英尺。

十年间,这口油井目前归福门特拉岛的合作伙伴Britanco LLC所有,截至去年 10 月,共产出石油 97,429 桶,储量 3.48 亿立方英尺。

在此期间,页岩生产商的压裂配方已发展到每英尺 2,000 磅甚至更多。谢菲尔德的想法是增加支撑剂和压力泵送强度,这样可以产生更多的液体。

“如果我们达到每英尺 2,000 和 3,000 磅,您知道油井的 IP 将会超过 400 桶/天。”

他说,他认为还有另一点很有希望:“你们到处都有EOG(资源)租赁。”

乔·贾格斯

截至发稿时,福门特拉岛正在弗里奥东南部惠特利-杜波斯附近进行两条皮尔斯尔 (Pearsall) 水平井的开采,勘探商乔·贾格斯 (Joe Jaggers) 旗下的 Britanco 于今年 6 月签署了一份 35,000 英亩的皮尔斯尔 (Pearsall) 土地协议。

贾格斯创立了专注于 Perman 的Jagged Peak Energy,谢菲尔德的Parsley Energy于 2020 年收购了该公司,一年后将 Parsley 出售给了Pioneer Natural Resources。在 Jagged 之前,贾格斯曾担任 Ute Energy 的首席执行官,直至 2012 年出售;担任Bill Barrett Corp.的总裁,直至 2010 年;担任 Barrett Resources 的总裁,直至2001 年将其出售给Williams Cos .。

谢菲尔德表示,皮尔萨尔对于像福门特拉岛这样的小型独立公司来说可能是一个不错的选择。

“我不知道它是否足够大,无法容纳像 EOG 这样的人。也许 EOG 已经租用了足够多的土地 [Pearsall 权利],这确实能起到推动作用。”

截至发稿时,福门特拉岛正在钻探 Hurrikain Cat I-STX #S731H,下一步计划钻探 Darlene 1-STX #N731HP。

每艘船都来自同一个发射台,一艘朝东南方向,另一艘朝西北方向。它们位于 EOG Pearsall 野猫式攻击机东北约 20 英里处。

“我们处于挥发性石油窗口,我们的产油区就在 10,000 到 11,000 英尺左右,”谢菲尔德说。“与 EOG 的位置相比,我们的位置稍浅、上倾,成熟度也较低,EOG 的位置与我们南部的区块相邻。”

皮尔萨尔沉积于白垩纪早期,位于鹰福特(晚白垩纪)潮流之下和以北,当时古老的海岸线正在后退,形成了墨西哥湾。

“我们认为我们的位置表明还有更多的石油,”谢菲尔德说。“OG 更深,产油层大约有 12,000 英尺,因此可能有更多的凝析油。”

“但我认为他们的地区也会一样好。”

EOG 的 Burns Ranch #1H

谢菲尔德指出,到 2014 年初,出现了大量有关皮尔斯尔的新闻文章。“然后什么都没有了。什么都没有!”

直到今年 7 月,Hart Energy 报道“ EOG Resources 在 Western Eagle Ford Stepout 开采 Pearsall 井”

EOG 将Nabors Industries 的一座 钻井平台移到了距离其下一个最近的南德克萨斯州钻井地点(位于 Eagle Ford)以西约 30 英里处,并于 6 月底在 Burns Ranch #1H 井段开钻,最终抵达 Pearsall。

该油井位于德克萨斯州迪利以东约 6 英里处,允许深度可达 12,000 英尺。

截至发稿时,RRC 尚未公布完工报告和产量。

福门特拉岛高级地质学家 Evan Kochelek 告诉 Hart Energy,“(消息人士)告诉我们,该井压力良好,日产气量在 300-400 万立方英尺之间,水量低时为 400 桶/天。”

EOG 和 Formentera Partners 的 Pearsall Wildcat 游乐区
截至发稿时,Formentera Partners 正在弗里奥县东南部 1582 号和 85 号公路交汇处钻探两个 Pearsall 水平井,其中大部分是短水平 Austin Chalk 井。(来源:Hart Energy 通过德克萨斯铁路委员会 GIS 查看器)

EOG 的月光 #22H

伯恩斯牧场野猫钻井遵循了 2023 年在德克萨斯州西北部的麦克马伦县在其 30 口 Eagle Ford 井 Moonlight 开发项目中进行的 2 英里 Pearsall 测试 EOG。

Pearsall 测试 Moonlight #22H 从 10,627 英尺水平段探出 1,115 桶石油和 730 万立方英尺天然气。

API比重大于50°。

“所以肯定是凝析油,”科切列克说。“传言是只有部分油井在产油,而不是整个 10,000 英尺水平段。”

EOG没有在向RRC提交的完工报告中包括支撑剂负荷。

截至 10 月份,该油井投产 19 个月,共生产了 44,738 桶石油和 7.5 亿立方英尺天然气。

“它有点太像汽油了,但液体燃料却很棒,”谢菲尔德说,“所以我认为,当我们降低资本支出时,[Pearsall] 将非常经济。”

印第奥坦克(皮尔萨尔)球场

与邻县相比,弗里奥县在历史上并没有取得多大成就。除了南端的鹰福特井外,该县的井眼都是遗留的垂直井和短奥斯汀白垩水平井。

8 月份,Eagle Ford 油田的产量几乎占 Frio 全部 383,000 桶石油和 30,000 桶凝析油。至于 Frio 的 Pearsall,Indio Tanks (Pearsall) 油田产出 600 桶凝析油,没有产出石油。

在拉萨尔县,该油田 8 月份的凝析油产量为 351 桶,没有石油。

在整个南德克萨斯州,该油田产出了 2,000 桶凝析油和 14 桶石油。

在 Indio Tanks 17 年的发展历程中,截至去年 10 月,其石油总产量为 699,038 桶,凝析油总产量为 654,156 桶。天然气总产量约为 300 亿立方英尺。

2010 年代初期

2012 年中期,Coterra Energy 的前身Cabot Oil & Gas与大阪燃气公司签约,大阪燃气公司将投资2.5 亿美元,获得该页岩气勘探项目 35% 的股份,水平 Pearsall 油气田由此开启。

TPH & Co.报告称,这笔交易的价格相当于每英亩 14,000 美元。TPH 分析师写道:“考虑到有限的井控,这样的价值让业界感到意外。”

重点关注阿塔斯科萨县、麦克马伦县、弗里奥县和拉萨尔县的交汇处。

很快,四口油井投入运营,30 天平均产量为 630 桶油当量/天,含油率为 56%。 

分析师写道:“假设石油产量为 5.5 亿欧元,油井成本为 950 万美元,这些资产的竞争力似乎略低于卡博特在 Eagle Ford 的地位。”

在弗里奥,卡博特的 RH Pickens A #103H 从 5,489 英尺水平井测试了 559 桶石油。根据 RRC 数据,该油田投产后的前 10 个月产油量为 49,213 桶,在 2022 年被新东家Crescent Energy关闭之前,共产油量为 89,391 桶。

同样在弗里奥,卡博特的 Chilipitin Ltd. #101H 从 4,387 英尺水平井测试了 670 桶石油。到 2020 年关闭之前,该井共生产了 34,905 桶石油。该井现在也归 Crescent Energy 所有。

在阿塔斯科萨县,卡博特公司测试了其 Hindes-Live Oak 101H 号井,从 5,958 英尺的水平井中产出 534 桶石油。根据 RRC 的数据,截至 2023 年 1 月,该井产油量为 32,346 桶,此后一直处于停产状态。Crescent Energy 现在也拥有这口井。

卡博特很快搁置了皮尔索尔项目。2014 年,大阪考虑了一次性减值,认为皮尔索尔“在经济上不可行”。

这家日本天然气公司的总经理当时表示,“我们通过皮尔斯尔的经历了解了投资风险。我们希望在下一次收购中瞄准具有良好生产记录的项目和油田。”

2019年,该公司将目光转向海恩斯维尔页岩,收购了萨宾石油天然气公司(Sabine Oil & Gas),后者现已发展成为海恩斯维尔十大石油生产商之一。

“令人心碎的页岩”

垂直 Pearsall 油气发现于 20 世纪 60 年代初,位于弗里奥以西的 Maverick 盆地。Hart Energy 退休技术编辑理查德·梅森 (Richard Mason) 在 2012 年写道:“Pearsall 油气被发现于其他地方,被称为令人心碎的页岩油气。”

据 RRC 介绍,Indio 水平储罐投产井为TXCO Resources的 Glass Ranch B #177 井,该井于 2007 年 11 月投产,产气量为 1.94 亿立方英尺,且无液体产生,11 个月后关闭。

TXCO 在申请第 11 章破产之前,又开采了四口 Pearsall 井:截至今年 9 月,FOGMT #2SP 井已产出 19 亿立方英尺和 210 桶凝析油;Myers #2683H 井已产出 2.67 亿立方英尺和 188 桶凝析油;Myers #1683D 井未产出 0.67 亿立方英尺或液体;O'eara-Webb 687 Unit #1H 井已产出 4.46 亿立方英尺和 553 桶凝析油。

2010 年 TXCO 解散后,该财产归Newfield Exploration(现为Ovintiv Inc.的一部分)所有。

Crescent Energy 现在是 FOGMT #2SP 的所有者。El Toro Resources 拥有 Oârara-Webb 油井,该油井 10 月份仍在产气,上一次产出凝析油是在 2015 年。

其他早期的 Pearsall 油井

皮尔斯尔的另外两口早期 Frio 油井仍在生产。Blackbrush Oil & Gas的 Pals Ranch #12H 从 3,815 英尺的水平井测试了 568 桶石油。截至去年 9 月,该油井的产量为 26,946 桶。

另外,Pals Ranch #11H 从 2,670 英尺水平井测试了 706 桶原油。截至去年 9 月,该油田原油产量为 14,164 桶。

2013 年,卡里索石油天然气公司在拉萨尔的Crawford Ranch B #12H 井完工,共 14 个阶段,产出 105 桶凝析油和 170 万立方英尺天然气。卡里索当时报告称,公司计划“在决定是否进行额外的 Pearsall 测试之前,先监测油井的表现”。

据 RRC 称,卡里索公司没有再生产任何 Pearsall 油井。最终,Crawford 油井从其 1,700 英尺水平井中产出 39,992 桶凝析油和 819 MMcf。该油井在 10 月份继续生产。该油井现在归Texas American Resources所有。

在阿塔斯科萨县,马拉松的 McCarty A Unit #1H IP 产油量达 440 桶。截至 2021 年 5 月,该井产油量达 33,245 桶,在SilverBow Resources收购该资产后关闭。水平段长度为 5,668 英尺。该井现归 Crescent Energy 所有,该公司于 7 月收购了 SilverBow

Pearsall 在 Atascosa 的另一项尝试是 EOG 的 Alonzo Peeler A #1H,该井从 3,510 英尺的水平井测试了 368 桶石油。截至 2018 年关闭,该井的产量为 4,359 桶。

在冈萨雷斯县东北部,宾州弗吉尼亚石油天然气公司在皮尔斯尔的 Cannonade Ranch South #50H 井中从 4,210 英尺的水平井中开采出 140 桶石油。在 2014 年 9 月停止生产之前,该井共开采出 4,481 桶石油。

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Formentera Joins EOG in Wildcatting South Texas’ Oily Pearsall Pay

Known in the past as a “heartbreak shale,” Formentera Partners is counting on bigger completions and longer laterals to crack the Pearsall code, Managing Partner Bryan Sheffield said. EOG Resources is also exploring the shale.


Rumor had it more than a decade ago that the Pearsall Shale’s oil and condensate window underlying the Eagle Ford in south-central Texas was a new play.

Today, “the trial’s still out,” Bryan Sheffield, managing partner, Formentera Partners, told Hart Energy.

But he added, “We’re going to drill.”

Wildcatters IP’ed liquids from Pearsall horizontals in the early 2010s. But the EURs proved uneconomic.

Sheffield’s premise today is based on the fact that operators were using the best frac recipes of the time—and laterals were a mile or less.

For example, he said, one of those trials was a Marathon Oil well, Whitley-Dubose #1H, in Frio County in 2014. “This is in the middle of our block.”

Lateral length was 5,736 ft and proppant per lateral foot was 475 lb in a 20-stage frac, according to the completion report filed with the Texas Railroad Commission (RRC). Frac fluid was 16 bbl/ft.

In 10 years, the well, which is now owned by Formentera’s partner, Britanco LLC, made 97,429 bbl of oil through this past October and 348 MMcf.

In that time, shale producers’ frac recipes have advanced to 2,000 lb per foot and more. Sheffield’s thinking is more proppant and pressure-pumping intensity should make more liquids.

“If we go to 2,000 and 3,000 pounds per foot, you know that well is going to IP north of 400 bbl/d.”

And there is another point he considers promising, he said: “You have EOG [Resources] leasing everywhere.”

Joe Jaggers

Formentera had two Pearsall laterals underway at press time near the Whitley-Dubose in southeastern Frio with explorer Joe Jaggers’ Britanco in a 35,000-Pearsall-acre deal signed in June.

Jaggers founded Perman-focused Jagged Peak Energy, which Sheffield’s Parsley Energy bought in 2020 before selling Parsley to Pioneer Natural Resources a year later. Prior to Jagged, Jaggers was CEO of Ute Energy until its 2012 sale; president of Bill Barrett Corp. until 2010; and president of Barrett Resources until its sale to Williams Cos. in 2001.

The Pearsall could be a great play for small independents like Formentera, Sheffield said.

“I don't know if it's big enough for guys like EOG. Maybe EOG has leased up enough acreage [with Pearsall rights] where it does move the needle.”

Formentera was drilling the Hurrikain Cat I-STX #S731H at press time and planned the Darlene 1-STX #N731HP next.

Each is from one pad, with one traveling southeast; the other, northwest. They are about 20 miles northeast of an EOG Pearsall wildcat.

“We are in the volatile oil window and our payzone is right around 10,000 to 11,000 feet,” Sheffield said. “We are a little shallower and updip and less mature than EOG's position, which is contiguous to our block on the south.”

Deposited in the early Cretaceous, the Pearsall sits under and north of the Eagle Ford (Late Cretaceous) trend as the ancient shoreline was receding, forming the Gulf of Mexico.

“We think our position points to more oil,” Sheffield said. “EOG is deeper, around 12,000 feet on payzone, so probably a little more condensate.

“But I think their area is going to be just as good.”

EOG’s Burns Ranch #1H

Into early 2014, there was a slew of Pearsall news articles, Sheffield noted. “And then nothing. Nothing!”

That’s until this past July when Hart Energy reported “EOG Resources Wildcatting Pearsall in Western Eagle Ford Stepout.’”

EOG moved a Nabors Industries rig some 30 miles west of its next-nearest South Texas drilling—which is for Eagle Ford—to southern Frio, spudding Burns Ranch #1H in late June to land in Pearsall.

The well is about 6 miles east of Dilley, Texas, and has a permitted depth of up to 12,000 ft.

The completion report and production had not been released at press time by the RRC.

Evan Kochelek, Formentera senior geologist, told Hart Energy, though, “We were told [by sources] the well has good pressure, between 3 and 4 MMcf/d and 400 bbl/d with low water.”

EOG and Formentera Partners’ Pearsall Wildcat Play Areas
Formentera Partners was drilling two Pearsall laterals at press time in southeastern Frio County at the intersection of highways 1582 and 85 mostly consisting of short-lateral Austin Chalk wells. (Source: Hart Energy via Texas Railroad Commission GIS viewer)

EOG’s Moonlight #22H

The Burns Ranch wildcat follows a 2-mile Pearsall test EOG made in northwestern McMullen County, Texas, in 2023 in its 30-Eagle Ford-well Moonlight development.

The Pearsall test, Moonlight #22H, IP’ed 1,115 bbl and 7.3 MMcf from a 10,627-ft lateral.

API gravity was more than 50°.

“So definitely condensate,” Kochelek said. “Rumor is that only part of the well is producing, not the entire 10,000-ft lateral.”

EOG did not include proppant load in its completion report to the RRC.

Through October, the well produced 44,738 bbl and 750 MMcf in 19 months online.

It’s “a bit too gassy, but great liquids,” Sheffield said. “So I think [the Pearsall] is going to be highly economic when we bring down capex.”

Indio Tanks (Pearsall) Field

Frio County hasn’t made much historically in comparison with its neighbors. Except for Eagle Ford wells along its southern end, holes in the county consist of legacy verticals and short Austin Chalk laterals.

Eagle Ford production represented nearly all of Frio’s 383,000 bbl of oil and 30,000 bbl of condensate in August. As for the Pearsall in Frio, Indio Tanks (Pearsall) Field made 600 bbl of condensate, no oil.

In La Salle County, the field’s August production was 351 bbl of condensate, no oil.

Across South Texas, the field made 2,000 bbl of condensate, plus 14 bbl of oil.

In Indio Tanks’ 17-year history, its output totaled 699,038 bbl of oil and 654,156 bbl of condensate through this past October. Gas was some 30 Bcf.

Early 2010s

The horizontal Pearsall play was lit in mid-2012 when Coterra Energy predecessor Cabot Oil & Gas signed Osaka Gas up to invest $250 million for a 35% stake in exploring the shale.

TPH & Co. reported the deal was the equivalent of $14,000 an acre. “This mark of value caught industry by surprise, given limited well control,” TPH analysts wrote.

The focus was on the intersection of Atascosa, McMullen, Frio and La Salle counties.

Soon, four wells were online with 30-day rates averaging 630 boe/d, 56% oil. 

“Assuming a 550 MMboe EUR and $9.5 million well cost, these assets appear to be slightly less competitive than Cabot’s Eagle Ford position,” the analysts wrote.

In Frio, Cabot’s RH Pickens A #103H tested 559 bbl from a 5,489-ft lateral. It made 49,213 bbl its first 10 months online and a total of 89,391 bbl before it was shut-in in 2022 by its new owner, Crescent Energy, according to RRC data.

Also in Frio, Cabot’s Chilipitin Ltd. #101H tested 670 bbl from a 4,387-ft lateral. It made 34,905 bbl until 2020, when it was shut-in. It is also owned by Crescent Energy now.

In Atascosa County, Cabot tested its Hindes-Live Oak Unit #101H for 534 bbl from a 5,958-ft lateral. It made 32,346 bbl through January 2023 and has been offline since, according to the RRC. Crescent Energy now owns this well, too.

Cabot quickly shelved its Pearsall program. In 2014, Osaka took a one-time impairment, deeming Pearsall “economically unfeasible.”

The Japanese gas utility’s general manager said at the time, “We learned investment risks through the Pearsall experience. We want to target projects and fields with good production track records in our next acquisition.”

In 2019, it turned to the Haynesville Shale instead, buying Sabine Oil & Gas, which has grown into a Top 10 Haynesville producer.

‘Heartbreak shale’

The vertical Pearsall discovery was in the early 1960s west of Frio in the Maverick Basin. Elsewhere, “the Pearsall was known as a heartbreak shale,” Richard Mason, retired technical editor for Hart Energy, wrote in 2012.

The horizontal Indio Tanks opener was TXCO Resources’ Glass Ranch B #177 that came on in November of 2007 and made 194 MMcf with no liquids before being shut-in 11 months later, according to the RRC.

TXCO made four more Pearsall wells before filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy: FOGMT #2SP for 1.9 Bcf and 210 bbl of condensate through this past September; Myers #2683H for 267 MMcf and 188 bbl of condensate; Myers #1683D for no MMcf or liquids; and O’Meara-Webb 687 Unit #1H for 446 MMcf and 553 bbl of condensate.

The property came to be owned by Newfield Exploration (now part of Ovintiv Inc.) in 2010 when TXCO was dissolved.

Crescent Energy is now the owner of FOGMT #2SP. El Toro Resources owns the O’Meara-Webb well, which was still producing gas in October and had last produced condensate in 2015.

Other early Pearsall wells

Two other early Frio wells in Pearsall are still online. Blackbrush Oil & Gas’ Pals Ranch #12H tested 568 bbl from a 3,815-ft lateral. It made 26,946 bbl through this past September.

Separately, Pals Ranch #11H tested 706 bbl from a 2,670-ft lateral. It made 14,164 bbl through this past September.

In 2013 in La Salle, Carrizo Oil & Gas' Crawford Ranch B #12H was completed with 14 stages and IP’ed 105 bbl of condensate and 1.7 MMcf. Carrizo reported at the time that it planned “to monitor the performance of the well before deciding whether to drill additional Pearsall tests.”

Carrizo didn’t make any more Pearsall wells, according to the RRC. Eventually, the Crawford well made 39,992 bbl condensate and 819 MMcf from its 1,700-ft lateral. It continued to produce in October. The well is now owned by Texas American Resources.

In Atascosa County, Marathon’s McCarty A Unit #1H IP’ed 440 bbl. The well produced 33,245 bbl through May 2021 and was shut-in upon SilverBow Resources’ acquisition of the property. The lateral was 5,668 ft. The well is now owned by Crescent Energy, which acquired SilverBow in July.

Another Pearsall attempt in Atascosa was EOG’s Alonzo Peeler A #1H, which tested 368 bbl from the 3,510-ft lateral. The well produced 4,359 bbl until shut-in in 2018.

Far northeast in Gonzales County, Penn Virginia Oil & Gas put Cannonade Ranch South #50H in Pearsall for 140 bbl from a 4,210-ft lateral. It made 4,481 bbl before put offline in September 2014.

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