Rex Energy Corp. said Wednesday a two-well Marcellus Shale pad recently placed online in western Pennsylvania represents the highest production rates achieved on a per lateral foot basis in the Moraine East Area.

The Frye 1H and Frye 3H were the last of the 12 wells placed to sales during 3Q2017 in the Moraine East, which is to the north of legacy acreage in Butler County. The wells produced at an average 24-hour sales rate/well of 9.4 MMcfe/d, including 4.1 MMcf/d of natural gas, 820 b/d of natural gas liquids and 70 b/d of condensate. Rex acquired Moraine acreage three years ago and only recently concluded delineation of the field.

CEO Tom Stabley said the company has worked with an engineering firm over the last six months to review historical completion data and develop an improved design. The Frye pad, he said, is the first to be finished with the new completion method.

Rex also said it remains on schedule to place additional compression online in the Moraine East by January. Unplanned midstream maintenance and compression delays curtailed second quarter production. Although the company said last month that the Frye pad would max out compression capacity in the field, it reiterated that the wells turned to sales during the third quarter have it on track to reach the high end of its 171-181 MMcfe/d guidance for the period.

In the Butler Operated Area, Rex has completed the four-well Wilson pad, with wells drilled to an average lateral length of 9,300 feet and on average, 51 fracture stages. Rex also has started completing the three-well Manuel pad in the Moraine East, with the wells drilled to an average lateral length of 6,750 feet.

Rex expects to place the Wilson pad to sales next month. Completions on the Manuel pad, with wells online, are expected by the end of the year.