Targeting

Denver-based exploration and production (E&P) independent QEP Resources Inc. reported encouraging results from its first four-well pad drilling on recently acquired South Antelope property in the Williston Basin in North Dakota. QEP said it also completed nine wells — four in the Bakken and five in the Three Forks formations on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation.

After drilling some disappointing wells targeting the Hogshooter interval of the Granite Wash in the Texas Panhandle, Linn Energy LLC is now concentrating its efforts on the Oklahoma Hogshooter, where the reservoir is seen to be of better quality with less variability, CEO Mark E. Ellis said Thursday.

Chevron Corp. is targeting a production goal of 3.3 million boe in 2017, fueled by the start-up of massive natural gas projects in Australia and new wells in the ultra-deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, executives said last week.

Chevron Corp. is targeting a production goal of 3.3 million boe in 2017, fueled by the start-up of massive natural gas projects in Australia and new wells in the ultra-deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, executives said Tuesday.

With a recently signed joint venture agreement targeting the Wolfcamp Shale in hand, Pioneer Natural Resources Co. this year plans to step up horizontal drilling there. In the Eagle Ford, longer laterals and more white sand proppant instead of ceramic are on the agenda.

With a recently signed joint venture agreement targeting the Wolfcamp Shale in hand, Pioneer Natural Resources Co. this year plans to step up horizontal drilling there. In the Eagle Ford, longer laterals and more white sand proppant instead of ceramic are on the agenda.

Seneca Resources Corp., the exploration and production subsidiary of National Fuel Gas Co., said Tuesday that six recently completed wells targeting the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania are among the most productive ever drilled in the play, according to initial test results.

PetroQuest Energy Inc. said Monday it has closed on the sale of its assets in the Fayetteville Shale for about $9.2 million as it shifts its focus to production of natural gas liquids (NGL) from other plays, including the Woodford Shale and the Mississippian Lime formation.

Houston-based Sanchez Energy Corp., which has a 95,000-net acre position targeting the liquids-rich Eagle Ford Shale, Pearsall Shale, Austin Chalk and Buda Limestone, said its estimated current net production is 4,400 boe/d, of which 84% was oil. This rate represents a 159% increase over the third quarter net production exit rate of 1,700 boe/d (see Shale Daily, Oct. 30). “We continue to see strong well performance across our three focus areas as we execute on the remainder of this year’s development plan,” said CEO Tony Sanchez. “Additionally, we are testing tighter spacing in each of our positions in the Eagle Ford trend and, more specifically, one of the rigs in our Palmetto area is drilling the first of a five-well, 40-acre spacing pilot on the southern part of the Barnhart Ranch.” The company is running two rigs in the Palmetto area, one rig in the Maverick area, and two rigs in the Marquis area.