Frequently Asked Questions About the Eagle Ford Shale

What is the Eagle Ford Shale?

The Eagle Ford Shale is a hydrocarbon producing formation of significant importance due to its capability of producing both gas and more oil than other traditional shale plays. It contains a much higher carbonate shale percentage, upwards to 70% in south Texas, and becomes shallower and the shale content increases as it moves to the northwest. The high percentage of carbonate makes it more brittle and “fracable”. The shale play trends across Texas from the Mexican border up into East Texas, roughly 50 miles wide and 400 miles long with an average thickness of 250 feet. It is Cretaceous in age resting between the Austin Chalk and the Buda Lime at a depth of approximately 4,000 to 12,000 feet. It is the source rock for the Austin Chalk and the giant East Texas Field. The name has often been misspelled as “Eagleford”.

Where is the Eagle Ford Located?

The Eagle Ford Shale is located in the following South Texas counties:

Atascosa County TX
Bee County TX
Dewitt County TX
Dimmitt County TX
Frio County TX
Gonzales County TX
Karnes County TX
LaSalle County TX
Lavaca County TX
Live Oak County TX
Maverick County TX
McMullen County TX
Webb County TX
Wilson County TX

The more active part of the region is mainly in McMullen, Maverick, Dimmit, La Salle, Karnes, Live Oak, and Atascosa counties. The formation produces both natural gas and oil, but it is the oil-producing and gas condensate areas that are hottest right now.

Who are the Players?

Houston-based Apache Corp. and EOG Resources are two of the largest lease-holders in the Eagle Ford. Other major players include Petrohawk, Swift Energy, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Murphy Oil, Chesapeake, Cabot Oil & Gas, and Pioneer Natural Resources.
History of the Eagle Ford

It is named for the town of Eagle Ford, Texas where it can be seen on the surface as clay soil. Eagle Ford, Texas is approximately 6 miles west of Dallas, Texas. An outcrop of the Eagle Ford Shale can be seen in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Petrohawk drilled the first of the Eagle Ford wells in 2008, discovering in the process the Hawkville (Eagle Ford) Field in La Salle County (District 1). The discovery well flowed at a rate of 7.6 million cubic feet of gas per day from a 3,200-foot lateral (first perforation 11,141 feet total vertical depth) with 10 frac stages. There are currently 36 fields covering 24 counties. The wells in the deeper part of the play deliver a dry gas, but moving northeastward out of District 1 and updip, the wells produce more liquids. One of the fields discovered in District 2 is actually an oil field (Eagleville (Eagle Ford)). The major operators joining Petrohawk in drilling the Eagle Ford Shale Play are Anadarko, Apache, Atlas, EOG, Lewis Petro, Geo Southern, Pioneer, SM Energy and XTO.

All told, the Eagle Ford Shale play brings with it a capital infusion into the economies of many South Texas communities. Undoubtedly, royalties and bonus money will come rolling in. With this infusion and influx of people and equipment, come myriad legal issues. Landowners and others whose rights, property and interests are affected by the producers and related industries would benefit from an experienced real estate lawyer who is familiar with the Eagle Ford Shale Counties.