Future reserves are expected to come from deeper gas plays, extensions of existing plays, and the use of new technologies on old fields. An estimated 80% of the yet-to-be discovered gas will come from the Anadarko Basin, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Key technological factors include maximizing the initial rate, minimizing operating expenses, lowering bottom-hole pressures, and seismic. Key operational factors include down-spacing, which is controlled by state corporate commissions; compression due to low bottom-hole pressure; and artificial lift, usually handled by small pumping units.
Attractions and challenges. The long-reserve-life gas that is common in the Midcontinent is derived from numerous stacked tight-gas sands, resulting in shallow decline rates and extensive deep-gas potential.
The region also offers low-risk drilling: Finding and development costs tend to be low, and new technologies are improving economics. The area also has access to infrastructure and markets, and pricing differentials are nominal.
A challenge for Midcontinent producers is growth without acquisitions: The region's public-auction asset supply is limited, and a few firms dominate the M&A market. Also, its conventional fields are mature, substantial compression is needed, significant investment capital is needed for deep drilling, and mineral interests are severed and fragmented.
Production. The region's top 10 fields account for more than 28% of daily production from the area. Play types range from the shallow production of the Hugoton Field to the deep production of Mocane-Laverne and Watonga Chickasha.
Production is from multiple pays-Morrow and Chase-Council Grove are the largest producing formations-and is heavily weighted towards gas (78%). The region contains an extensive inventory of drilling opportunities.
Operators. Production is by thousands of companies: The top five Midcontinent producers surface only 29% of the region's total output. Another 23% is by the next 15, and the remaining 48% is operated by 5,942 companies.
Top 10 Producing Fields-Midcontinent (Mcfe/day)
FieldFormation/PlayProduction
Kansas HugotonChase495,791
Panhandle WestBrown Dolomite, Red Cave250,361
Strong City DistrictRed Fork, Skinner229,234
Sho-Vel-TumSpringer, Deese, Hoxbar, Cisco, Permian200,122
Buffalo WallowGranite Wash190,749
Red Oak-NorrisRed Oak157,197
Golden TrendSpringer, Deese, Sycamore, Hart146,292
Watonga-ChickashaMorrow, Red Fork, Springer140,316
PanomaCouncil Grove137,883
Mocane-LaverneChester, Morrow, Tonkawa, Council Grove136,120
Selected Midcontinent Asset and Private Transactions
Res Value/Res Value/
Transaction Prov Res Production
AnnouncedBuyerSellerValue ()($/Mcfe) ($/Mcfe/d)R/P (Yrs)
02-Feb-07ExcoAnadarko$860,000$2.14$8,32110.6
14-Dec-06Linn EnergyUndisclosed$415,000$1.26$13,75030.0
19-Sep-06ChaparralCalumet Oil$510,000$1.65$18,21430.2
24-Jul-06Linn EnergyKaiser-Francis$125,000$2.29$21,76626.0
31-May-06PetroflowUndisclosed$33,600NA$8,235NA
10-May-06Penn VirginiaCrow Creek; NGP$71,500$1.36$9,38718.9
31-Dec-05NGASDart Energy$11,400$1.61$8,03013.7
15-Dec-05PetroQuestUndisclosed$10,500$1.27$12,68027.4
08-Dec-05EnterraUndisclosed$246,734$2.57$7,4117.9
30-Nov-05CanoWO Energy$55,240NA$11,508NA
07-Oct-05Unit CorpUndisclosed$82,000$1.72$11,21417.9
06-Oct-05AmadeusWhite Eagle$58,500$1.95$13,17618.5
23-Sep-05MahaloUndisclosed$24,500NA$8,167NA
19-Sep-05ExcoOneok$645,000$2.68$12,39612.7
22-Aug-05EncoreCrusader$107,500$2.46$11,26712.5
26-Jul-05WhitingCelero; Quantum$343,000$1.42$12,94325.0
12-May-05Unit CorpUndisclosed$23,100$1.65$9,24015.3
22-Apr-05PetroQuestStaab; Mako$22,000$3.28$11,0009.2
28-Feb-05Forest OilPeak Energy$230,000$1.90$8,28412.0
Mean$203,925$1.95$11,42118.0
Mean*$176,710$1.91$11,04817.8
Median$82,000$1.81$11,21416.6
* Excluding high and low. Source: Scotia Waterous
-Shaun Finnie (832-476-6407), Adrian Goodisman (713-437-5050), Steve Pugh (713-437-5061) and Curtis Newstrom (713-437-5042)
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