According to the oil and gas research and consulting firm Wood Mackenzie, the Eagle Ford will reach two-million b/d of crude and condensate production by 2020. Compared to the next most significant liquids-rich shale play in the U.S., the Bakken Shale, in North Dakota, the Eagle Ford is expected to produce 16% more crude and condensate production during the same year combined.
The Eagle Ford Shale is really on a roll. In June of 2014, analysts at the Bentek Energy Benposium Conference, in Houston, TX, said the Eagle Ford had the highest internal rate of return (IRR) among all other U.S. Shale plays. According to Bentek Energy Senior Analyst Catherine Bernardo, the Eagle Ford is sitting at just over 70% IRR.
Read more: Eagle Ford Rate of Return Higher than Other U.S. Shale Plays
Potential for Eagle Ford Production Constraints
Currently, there aren't any production constraints in the Eagle Ford. That's due to a number of factors, but namely an already existing midstream infrastructure in Texas, the completion of multiple midstream projects since the boom began and the Gulf Coast refining markets ramping up to accommodate Eagle Ford production.
At Benposium, analysts predicted the Eagle Ford market would not see a lot of production constraints near the end of the decade; however that could change if Eagle Ford production reaches a certain threshold.
“If the Eagle Ford reaches two-million b/d by 2019, there would be production constraints in the play.”
Should Eagle Ford production reach two-million b/d of crude and condensate production by 2020, that means industry players essentially have a one-year pad to accommodate for the anticipated increase.