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Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine

PBOG is the Official Publication of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association and is published monthly by Zachry Publications, LP.

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Matador Resources drills pilot project of U-shaped laterals in Loving County

May 5, 2023 by PBOG

Dallas-based Matador Resources said last week it drilled a pilot project of two wells on its Wolf acreage in Loving County using a “horseshoe” design.  Matador drilled a two-mile lateral on a section only large enough for a traditional one-mile lateral.  The U-shaped lateral drills out part of the wellbore, makes a 180-degree turn, and drills back toward the rig to double the lateral length.

Glenn Stetson, executive vice president, said Matador experienced successful development on surrounding acreage.  Matador expects to save $10 million with the two U-shaped laterals compared to four one-mile laterals on the same acreage.  Matador expects to average 9,800 feet per well this year compared to 8,700 feet in 2020.

Production in 2023Q1 was 106,654 boed (58,941 b/d of oil) – up six percent from expectations – primarily because of better-than-expected production in Matador’s Stateline asset.  Matador expects to use dual-fuel fracturing equipment for more than 95 percent of wells completed in 2023.  Fullyear production is expected at high end of guidance of 44.35 million boe to 46.25 million boe.

Joseph Wm. Foran, chairman and CEO, said April 25, “Our results for the first quarter of 2023 were above our expectations both operationally and financially and constituted a strong start to the year.  We set new operational records in the first quarter.”

Filed Under: PBOG Newsletter

Comments

  1. Lawrence Rayburn says

    May 5, 2023 at 3:34 pm

    Wonder when Tall City will re-enter wells and U tube the laterals to enhance production? In my area of
    the southern Delaware basin in Reeves county, the stacked shale play anticlines run west to east.
    They are broken in places by three parallel fault lines isolating opposite ends of the anticlines. Some of the
    anticlines are elongated over 7 miles with the bulbous ends that far apart. Tremendous high volume
    deposits of both oil and gas that can be efficiently exploited by U tubing laterals and putting up to 8 wells
    on each location.
    Need a lot more consolidated production batteries, pipelines, and local gas and oil refineries. Good for
    the Permian and Delaware basins and its people.

    westtxlawrence

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