The Eagle Ford shale formation in South Texas runs from the US-Mexico border north of Laredo in a narrow band extending northeast for several hundred miles to just north of Houston. It is located directly below the Austin Chalk. The average thickness of the Eagle Ford shale is about 475 feet. 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.
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.
Southcross expands natural gas processing complex in Eagle Ford area
Feb 8, 2012
To expand its ability to serve oil and gas producers operating in the Eagle Ford Shale, Southcross Energy has begun construction of a fractionator and natural gas liquids and residue pipeline outlets in South Texas. |
Global NuTech acquires Texas Gulf Oil and Gas
Feb 1, 2012
Global NuTech Inc. has acquired 100% of the stock of Houston, Texas-based Texas Gulf Oil & Gas Inc. |
Texcom opens new liquid disposal site in heart of Eagle Ford Shale
Jan 25, 2012
Houston-based TexCom Inc., an environmental services company for the oil and gas industry, has opened its new liquid disposal site, owned and operated by its wholly owned subsidiary Eagle Ford Environmental Services LLC. |
Demand for Eagle Ford acreage continues as Marubeni buys share from Hunt Oil
Jan 9, 2012
Marubeni Corp. recently became Japan’s largest owner of American shale oil acreage when it announced it had acquired nearly 52,000 net acres in the Eagle Ford Shale from Dallas-based Hunt Oil. |
Penn Virginia expands in Eagle Ford
Dec 21, 2011
Penn Virginia Corp. said December 20 that it completed an agreement with an undisclosed major oil and gas company to jointly explore the Eagle Ford Shale in Lavaca County, Texas.
|
Sanchez prices IPO at $203M
Dec 14, 2011
Sanchez Energy Corp. has priced its initial public offering of 10,000,000 shares of its common stock at $22.00 per share for net proceeds, after underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses, of approximately $203 million. |
Eagle Ford activity doubles in 2011, tests move into Louisiana
Dec 12, 2011
The Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas has seen incredible growth over the year, and signs point toward an even greater expansion–including into Louisiana, noted Global Hunter Securities (GHS) in a December 12, 2011 note to investors. |
Rosetta Resources to allocate $590M of $640M 2012 budget to Eagle Ford activities
Dec 12, 2011
Rosetta Resources Inc. has just announced the approval of its 2012 capital budget of $640 million which includes approximately $590 million allocated for activities in the liquids-rich window of the Eagle Ford shale in South Texas. |
Eagle Ford focused Sanchez Energy commences IPO
Dec 5, 2011
Sanchez Energy Corp., an independent exploration and production company focused on the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas, has commenced an initial public offering of 10,000,000 shares of its common stock. |
Magnum Hunter pushes Eagle Ford completions with longer laterals, greater frac stages
Dec 1, 2011
An Eagle Ford Shale activity update by Magnum Hunter Resources Corp. is marked with improved initial production rates driven by longer lateral lengths and greater frac stages. |
Kinder Morgan to acquire treating company in Eagle Ford Shale for $155 million
Oct 24, 2011
On Oct. 24, Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP signed a definitive purchase and sale agreement to acquire SouthTex Treaters, a leading manufacturer, designer, and fabricator of natural gas treating plants that remove CO2 and H2S, for approximately $155 million. |
Carrizo strikes deal with India's Gail to monetize producing Eagle Ford Shale assets
Sep 29, 2011
Carrizo Oil & Gas Inc. has entered a $95 million unincorporated joint venture with India's GAIL for a 20% working interest in roughly 20,200 net acres located in LaSalle County, TX targeting the Eagle Ford Shale. |
Robertson to Join Marathon Oil as regional VP for South TX, Eagle Ford
Sep 22, 2011
Marathon Oil Corp. will add Lance W. Robertson as regional vice president - South Texas/Eagle Ford, effective Oct. 3, 2011. |
Crimson Exploration continues Eagle Ford Shale drilling success
Sep 12, 2011
Houston-based Crimson Exploration Inc. said Sept. 12 that it had successfully completed the Littlepage McBride #2H well in Karnes County, Texas, and also the KM Ranch #1H well in Zavala County, Texas. Both wells were drilled into the South Texas Eagle Ford shale formation. |
Eagle Ford Shale continues to heat up, companies looking to hire thousands
Sep 1, 2011
The Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas continues to be one of the hottest of all the North American shale plays.
|

The “natural gas revolution” is changing global energy dynamics, including the outlook for energy security in the United States and elsewhere. In his keynote speech to the annual 31st annual CERAWeek Executive Conference in Houston, Peter Voser, CEO of Royal Dutch Shell plc, outlines what the industry and policymakers must do to ensure society fully leverages the many benefits of natural gas. He calls for well-targeted and robustly enforced regulations to ensure tight and shale gas production meets the highest standards. He also urges the industry to do a better job of listening and responding to public concerns about the environmental and operational challenges associated with gas production.
Read the full speech by Peter Voser here.

The total value of US oil and gas mergers and acquisitions increased significantly in 2011 due to continued investment in US shale plays and related infrastructure, sustained interest from foreign buyers, and private equity entrants deploying capital in the energy industry, according to an analysis of energy M&A data by PwC US. A major trend in the energy sector driving the increase in deal value throughout the year was a shift towards more investments in oil and liquid plays as natural gas prices remained depressed amid hitting a 10-year low in 2011.
Read more here.
Can the shale gas r
evolution currently taking place in the US be repeated elsewhere? Although significant volumes of unconventional gas deposits are present in Poland, France, Germany, Hungary, Sweden, Turkey, and the UK, shale gas developments are running many years behind their counterparts in the US. Skeptics have pointed out that differences in geology, taxes, public acceptance, environmental regulations and other factors in Europe vs. the US make for a tougher environment in which to develop unconventional resources.
Read the article by Bart J. A. Willigers of Palantir Solutions Ltd. here.