In what may be the highest initial production (IP) from a Haynesville Shale well, Devon Energy Corp. on Monday said the Kardell Gas Unit 1H in East Texas achieved an average continuous 24-hour flow rate of 30.7 MMcfe/d through a 37/64-inch choke with flowing pressure at 6,824 pounds per square inch.

The well in San Augustine County, TX, was drilled to a total measured depth of 18,350 feet, including a horizontal lateral section of about 4,500 feet. Devon operates the well with a 48% working interest. Crimson Exploration Inc. owns the remaining stake.

“With a flow rate of more than 30 MMcf/d, we believe the Kardell well is the highest rate well ever drilled in the Haynesville Shale,” said Devon’s Dave Hager, executive vice president of exploration and production. “This is clearly a very positive development for the southern portion of the Haynesville Shale play.”

Earlier this year Penn Virginia Corp. recorded an IP rate of 11.4 MMcf/d at a field in the Lower Bossier of East Texas (see Daily GPI, June 5). Gastar Exploration Ltd. also said a Lower Bossier well tested at more than 25 MMcf/d and could be capable of higher rates.

“We plan to go to a five-rig program in 2010 in this southern play area,” said Hager. “Our longer-term objective is to continue to systematically evaluate and derisk our entire Haynesville Shale position.”

Devon’s southern Haynesville Shale acreage includes 47,000 net acres principally in the Texas counties of San Augustine and Sabine and in Sabine Parish, LA. Devon holds a 100% interest in its primary term leases in the southern area.

Across East Texas and northwestern Louisiana, Devon said it has around 570,000 net acres. The company began defining its Haynesville acreage by drilling in the Carthage, TX, area, where it has stakes in more than 1,800 producing wells. In the greater Carthage area, Devon has about 110,000 net acres.

Devon previously drilled eight horizontal Haynesville wells in the greater Carthage area. To date the Oklahoma City-based producer said it has identified about 950 risked drilling locations at Carthage.

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