Eagle Ford Shale Midstream Sold

June 10, 2015 Elizabeth Alford

Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) will acquire Eagle Ford Shale (EFS) Midstream for a total price of $2.15 billion.

The deal announced this week includes an agreement with Pioneer Natural Resources and Reliance Industries who each own shares in EFS and is expected to be closed in the third quarter this year. The purchase price will be split into two installments, with $1.15 billion to be paid at the transaction closure. The balance of $1 billion will be paid within 12 months of the closing date.

“This ‘bolt on’ acquisition extends our integrated system deeper into the NGL and condensate rich areas of the Eagle Ford, which will provide us with the ability to offer services to additional producers and increase volumes on our system.”

— Michael A. Creel, Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise

EFS Midstream designs, constructs, owns and operates facilities that provide gas gathering, treating, condensate stabilization, and transportation services for operations in the Eagle Ford Shale and offers nearly 460 miles of natural gas gathering pipelines and ten central gathering plants. The firm maintains 119 thousand barrels of condensate stabilization capacity per day and can treat 780 million ft3 of natural gas daily.

Reliance Industries Seeks Buyer for Eagle Ford JV Interest

October 15, 2014 Kirk Eggleston

Pioneer Natural Resources' Production Chart

India's Reliance Industries is looking for a buyer for its interest in a three-way joint Eagle Ford joint venture, according to Bloomberg, which cited "people familiar with the matter." The other players in the JV are Irving, Texas-based Pioneer Natural Resources Co. and a division of Mexico's Alfa SAB de CV - Newpek, LLC.

Mumbai-based Reliance entered the Eagle Ford in 2010 for $1.15-billion. The deal included a 45% interest in Pioneer's Eagle Ford acreage. Currently, Pioneer has ~230,000 gross acres across the play, and a 46% interest in the JV. Newpek, LLC has a 9% interest.

The assets included in the JV are in the heart of the Eagle Ford's condensate window. In June, Pioneer garnered headlines when it received permission from the U.S. Commerce Department (U.S. DoC) to export minimally processed condensate to foreign buyers. With the green light from the U.S. DoC, the assets have become even more attractive and more valuable. Total assets are valued at ~$4 billion, according to Bloomberg's sources.

Earlier this year, Pioneer tabled a deal to sell its interest in the Eagle Ford JV, but will likely consider another offer if the price is right. Newpek, LLC is also reportedly looking for a buyer, according to Bloomberg.

In the second quarter, Pioneer posted record net production in the Eagle Ford of 47 mboe/d. Pioneer, which is the operator for the assets, expects to place 125 wells online in 2014.

Pioneer Taps the Brakes in the Eagle Ford

February 7, 2012 R.T. Dukes

Pioneer Natural Resources had planned to grow its rig count to 14 in 2012, but 25% of the company's development was set for dry gas. With natural gas prices below $3/mmbtu, Pioneer is backing off and delaying the two new rigs until 2013. The company still plans to have 19 rigs running by 2015. Production also made a considerable jump in the fourth quarter. The company produced more than 20,000 boe/d, compared to 14,000 boe/d in the third quarter. Gathering constraints are being eased and more companies are seeing significant production jumps.

The company's well costs are expected to run $7-8 million per well in 2012 and the white sand, instead of ceramic, proppant will be used in 50% of the company's wells. White sand saves the company $700,000 per well.

The company's midstream partnership with Reliance Industries will also complete three additional central gathering plants in 2012. That will bring the total number of gathering plants to 11 across the company's acreage.

Read more at the Pioneer Natural Resources Eagle Ford page.

Oil India Eagle Ford Position Coming Soon?

January 16, 2012 R.T. Dukes

Oil India is out wining and dining Eagle Ford operators. The company announced it is looking for a minority stake of 20-30% in U.S. shale acreage and is looking at the Eagle Ford. Gail and Carrizo Inked an Eagle Ford JV in September of 2011 and Reliance and Pioneer inked a shale deal in 2010, so it's no surprise to see Oil India might want to follow suit. Oil India has spoken with ConocoPhillips and word hit the news wire early Monday. While it is not out of the realm of possibility, a joint-venture between the two companies would likely include much more than the $200-300 million investment Oil India is looking to make. Oil India might have assets it is willing to trade, but if not the company is much more likely to find a suitable partner in a company with a smaller acreage position. Using the $25,000 per acre price paid in the Hunt Oil -Marubeni Partnership announced two weeks ago, Oil India is in the market to buy 10,000-15,000 acres of prime Eagle Ford acreage. That's much less than 20-30% of Conoco's 220,000+ acres in the play. If the two companies reach an agreement, it will include additional consideration or it will be limited to a much smaller area than Conoco's current footprint in South Texas.

India's state-run explorer Oil India is in talks with U.S.-based companies, including ConocoPhillips, to buy stake in shale gas assets in the U.S., its head of finance T.K. Ananth Kumar said on Monday.
"We are in talks with some of the US-based companies and ConocoPhillips is one of them. They have met us," Kumar told Reuters.

Pioneer Natural Resources Adds Frack Crew - White Sand Completions - Q311 Ops

November 3, 2011 R.T. Dukes

Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD) reported strong growth from its Eagle Ford Shale assets when the company operates in partnership with Reliance Industries. The company is currently running 12 rigs in the play and has assembled 2 frack crews solely dedicated to the Eagle Ford. The second crew will be active in Q4 2011. Both crews compliment the company's two-year third party completion agreement. Wells are producing a 65% liquids cut that includes oil, condensate, and NGLs. Average wells laterals extend 5,500 ft and completions involve 13 frack stages. Wells are being brought on at restricted rates (16/64ths) to protect against reservoir damage at high flow rates. To date, company is seeing improved declines.

The company's midstream partnership will continue to build out gathering facilities in 2012 and will begin financing construction through outside sources in the next year. Well costs across the play average $7-8 million, but the company is saving as much as $700,000 per well by utilizing white sand in the more shallow portions of the play.

Production grew quarter over quarter from 8,000 boe/d to 14,000 boe/d and is expected to reach as high as 60,000 boe/d in 2014.

"Based on our drilling plans for the Spraberry field, the Eagle Ford Shale and the Barnett Shale Combo play, we expect the Company to deliver production growth of 20+% in 2012 compared to 2011 and U.S. production growth of 22+%.
Eight central gathering plants (CGPs) have been completed as part of the joint venture's Eagle Ford Shale midstream business. Three additional CGPs are planned for 2012. Pioneer's share of its Eagle Ford Shale joint-venture midstream activities is conducted through a partially-owned, unconsolidated entity. Beginning in June 2011, funding for ongoing midstream infrastructure build-out costs that are in excess of operating cash flow are expected to be provided from external debt sources. Cash flow from the services provided by the midstream operations is not included in Pioneer's forecasted operating cash flow of $1.4 billion to $1.5 billion in 2011.
Pioneer's gross well cost in the Eagle Ford Shale ranges from $7 million to $8 million per well. Using this cost, flat commodity prices of $90 per barrel for oil and $5 per MCF for gas, estimated future production costs, and excluding the benefit of the joint-venture drilling carry, before tax internal rates of return are estimated to be 80% for high condensate yield wells (200 barrels per million cubic feet) and 60% for lean condensate yield wells (60 barrels per million cubic feet).
Pioneer has been testing the use of lower-cost white sand instead of ceramic proppant to fracture stimulate wells drilled in shallower areas of the field. Twenty wells have been tested to date, with a savings of approximately $700 thousand per well. Early well performance has been similar to direct offset ceramic-stimulated wells. Pioneer plans to continue to monitor the performance of these wells and plans to use white sand in approximately 30% of its 2012 drilling program.

Read the full press release at pxd.com