The Fayetteville Shale, is a black, organic-rich rock of Mississippian age that underlies much of northern Arkansas and adjacent states. It produces natural gas in the central portion of the Arkoma basin. The productive wells penetrate the Fayetteville Shale at depths between a few hundred and 7000 feet below the surface and at elevations of between a few hundred feet above sea level and 7000 feet below sea level.
The first wells to produce natural gas from the Fayetteville Shale were traditional vertical wells with low to moderate production rates. However, in the past several years vertical wells have been drilled down to just above the Fayetteville Shale, turned, and drilled horizontally through the rock unit. These horizontal wells intersect large numbers of vertical fractures which bring a flow of gas into the well and drain the surrounding rock. Fractures are also induced by pumping pressurized fluids down the well bore to fracture the rock unit. These additional fractures enhance the permeability of the Fayetteville Shale and allow more efficient gas production.
Multiple shale plays happening across the United States have triggered an enormous demand for skilled workers and trainees.
Fayetteville Shale Drilling
The productive potential of the Fayetteville Shale was not fully realized until horizontal drilling and hydrofracing technologies were demonstrated in other unconventional shale reservoirs. The hydrofracing process helps liberate gas from the shale and horizontal drilling allows a single well to drain a much larger volume of rock than a traditional vertical well.
Mineral Rights Information
Mineral Rights give a person or an organization the right to explore for and produce
mineral resources from a property. Here's a short article that covers the basics.
A "white paper" by Schlumberger, the well service company. Explains how hydraulic fracturing is used to stimulate production in tight gas shale reservoirs. (large .pdf file)
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Fayetteville Economics
Governor's Comments:
Governor Mike Beebe comments on the Fayetteville Shale and the potential economic impact that it might have on Arkansas.
Estimate Your Royalty
Natural Gas Royalty Estimator: Enter data from your lease agreement and make a few assumptions. Unoffical estimates of your annual royalty payments.
See how much was paid as a signing bonus to numerous landowners in most counties. Includes transaction date, signing bonus per acre, term of lease, royalty rate and number of acres. Share your information anonymously to help others.
Central Fayetteville Shale Map: Well location map for the central, most intense area of the play. This is a large PDF map, by the Arkansas Geological Survey.
