About Barnett Shale
The Barnett Shale is a large natural gas reserve encompassing more than 5,000 square miles and covering at least 17 counties in North Texas. Many experts believe the Barnett Shale may be the largest onshore natural gas field in the United States, containing more than an estimated 26 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. In recent years, advances in drilling technology have made it possible for energy companies to extract large amounts of natural gas from the Barnett Shale.
Contrary to popular belief, urban drilling is not new and has occurred at various places throughout the United States. However, the concentrated number of gas wells being drilled in a large metropolitan area, like around Fort Worth and surrounding cities, has created more awareness about urban drilling. The high activity levels of urban drilling in North Texas are a direct result of three things:
- The Barnett Shale may be the largest and most active natural gas reserve field in the United States, making it an integral part of America’s energy sources.
- The most populated areas of North Texas happen to sit atop the Barnett Shale.
- Advances in drilling techniques enable producers to extract this gas efficiently and economically.
The Barnett Shale has already provided an economic boost to many North Texas cities, counties and residents.
How did the Barnett Shale form?
More than 100 million years ago, North Texas was under an ocean. Over the course of millions of years, the oceans dried up and sea creatures died. The mud hardened into rock and the organic matter decomposed and produced methane, the predominant component of natural gas. The methane deposits then became trapped in the porous rocks in the shale’s layers.
Why has drilling started recently in the Barnett Shale?
Mitchell Energy drilled the first gas well in the Barnett Shale in 1981. After studying the Barnett Shale, the company could see its potential, but knew drilling would be difficult because the natural gas was literally hiding in the source rock layers. The industry calls this kind of deposit “unconventional” (also known as “nonconventional”) because the gas is not located in relatively shallow, highly porous rock formations which create pockets of gas (known as “conventional” deposits). Conventional deposit formations are much easier to produce.
In the Barnett Shale, the source rock has to be fractured to release the gas, a technique that at the time wasn’t netting the company with large enough gas reserves to be truly profitable.
For the next 20 years, Mitchell Energy continued to work at inventing the technology to unlock the key to the Barnett Shale. By the late 1990s, Mitchell Energy increased the economic efficiency of Barnett Shale gas wells by using hydraulic fracturing methods, which is the use of water and sand under high pressure, to fracture the rock and release the gas. Since Mitchell Energy’s pioneering efforts, many gas companies have continued to develop methods and technologies to improve production. The final piece of the puzzle was the introduction of horizontal drilling in 2002.
According to the Texas Drilling Observer, “The development of the Barnett Shale can truly be considered a function of technology, as modern, much larger fracture stimulation methods have led to greater investments.”
What counties lie in the Barnett Shale?
There are 18 counties that cover the Barnett Shale. The counties include: Tarrant, Denton, Wise, Bosque, Comanche, Cooke, Ellis, Erath, Jack, Johnson, Montague, Palo Pinto, Parker, Hamilton, Hill, Hood, Somervell and Clay County. Download the PDF.
What is the economic impact of the Barnett Shale?
In a study conducted by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, the Barnett Shale is contributing $5 billion annually and 55,000 permanent jobs in North Texas.
Fort Worth city officials estimate that over 20 years, lease bonuses will provide $742 million for municipal coffers and property tax revenues from the wells could bring that total to more than $1 billion.
How much gas is produced in the Barnett Shale?
As of November 1, 2007, according to the Railroad Commission of Texas, there are 7,170 natural gas wells in the Barnett Shale producing over 3.1 Bcf per day. There has been over 3.3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas produced in the Barnett Shale, most of it since 2000. In addition, there are 4,350 permitted locations. In 2007, 3,679 drilling permits were issued.
Who do I contact regarding sound ordinances?
Cities/municipalities have jurisdiction over sound.
