Niobrara

ConocoPhillips executives said most of the company’s production growth during 3Q2013 came from shale plays in the Lower 48 — especially the Eagle Ford and the Bakken — and predicted “significant growth and very high margin growth” from the Eagle Ford for several more years.

While globally the U.S. shale development for oil and natural gas has been a game-changer, concerns about hydraulic fracturing (fracking) on a local level are threatening to sidetrack the domestic energy boom in places like Wyoming and Colorado, according to industry speakers at a symposium in Denver Thursday hosted by the law firm of BakerHostetler.

Liquids-rich and oil plays have clearly won the hearts and dollars of North American producers. The Eagle Ford and Bakken shales are stars now, but several others are poised to join or possibly eclipse them, according to a recent note by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (S&P).

Exploration and production (E&P) companies remain enthusiastic about the U.S. onshore, in particular the Permian Basin, Niobrara formation, Utica Shale and the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (TMS), based on observations at the recent EnerCom Consulting oil and natural gas conference, said two analyst teams who were there. However, Marcellus Shale pricing appears to be a “real concern for the buyside.”

Royal Dutch Shell plc, which earlier this month launched a review of its entire North American portfolio, is selling some of its operations in northwestern Colorado’s Niobrara formation, according to a spokeswoman.

Strong growth in oil production — especially in the Permian Basin — propelled Devon Energy Corp. to record the highest average daily production rate in its history during the second quarter of 2013, as the company also saw positive test results in the Woodford Shale.

WPX Energy has achieved its second exploratory success of the year, this time from the Mancos Gallup Sandstone formation in the oil window of Northwest New Mexico’s San Juan Basin, company management said during an earnings conference call.

The number of Marcellus Shale natural gas wells waiting on infrastructure provided by Access Midstream Partners LP has fallen by more than half since the end of 2012, CEO J. Mike Stice said Wednesday.

Marathon Oil Corp.’s $5.2 billion capital, investment and exploration budget for 2013 is about 65% targeted toward liquids-rich areas, particularly the Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas.