American Oil and Gas Reporter - May 2024 - 48

SpecialReport: Eagle Ford Activity
with 5,700-foot and 6,400-foot laterals,
respectively, that flowed a combined
2,000-2,200 barrels of oil and couple of
million cubic feet of gas a day for several
months. Nine months in, cumulative production
is in excess of 300,000 barrels,
Novikoff says.
Tidal Petroleum is among the
Eagle Ford's most experienced
operators, drilling one of the
first oil wells in the early days
of the play. One of its key strategies
today is to use production
sharing agreements and additions
of undrilled acreage sandwiched
between larger operators
to expand drilling options and
refrac inventory on units with
legacy wells.
part of a business strategy of expanding
drilling options on units with legacy wells
that add to refrac inventory, he remarks.
Whatever the case for adding tracts
and entering partnerships, Novikoff insists
there is plenty of work left in South
Texas. " Some may say the Eagle Ford as
a major play is ending, and it may be difficult
to grow production significantly,
but there is enough opportunity here to
maintain current production in the play
for several years, " he evaluates.
Based in the San Antonio suburb of
Schertz, Tx., Tidal opened for business
in 1994 drilling shallow vertical wells
but forged into the Eagle Ford on the
South Texas Syndicate Ranch three months
after neighbor Petrohawk drilled the play's
first successful well in the wet gas window.
Tidal's first well in northern LaSalle
County was among the first few Eagle
Ford oil wells, Novikoff recalls.
With an inventory of about 30 locations,
the company this year is participating in
nine wells across a 15,000-acre position
that accounted for 88,000 barrels of oil
in March. Novikoff says Tidal's production
is from smaller leases spread across Texas'
Atascosa, Fayette, Gonzales, Karnes,
LaSalle, McMullen and Lavaca counties.
As larger companies weigh options to
grow contiguous acreage, Tidal's size allows
it to acquire smaller, detached tracts
by taking advantage of is ability to navigate
the intricacies of securing title work on
multiple leases required to cobble units
48 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER
together. Some townsites may include
75-80 different leases to make one,
Novikoff says.
Although the Lower Eagle Ford is the
primary target, Tidal has drilled both
wells in both the Lower and Upper intervals
in a wine rack pattern with good results
in Karnes and Gonzales counties,
where the pay window is thick enough,
he details.
Recent wells have included the Red
Crest No. 3 and 4 in Gonzales County,
Completion designs are similar to others
in the region with stages around 200
feet stimulated with 2,500 pounds of
100-mesh sand per lateral foot. With
more modern designs, recovery rates are
three-four times higher than they were
with the vintage frac designs pumped
more than 10 years ago and pump rates
have almost doubled, he observes.
Tidal has refrac candidates across its
position. Five in LaSalle and Lavaca
counties had strong results, Novikoff reveals.
In Gonzales County, Tidal tested
two refracs in thinner pays that were successful
but with slower paybacks.
Big Part Of The Story
Among Castlerock Exploration's 48
producing wells are refrac candidates
being assessed as the operations team
keeps an eye on results from other companies
in the oil window in LaSalle and
McMullen counties, says President and
Chief Executive Officer Elliott Goudge.
" We think refracs could be a big part
Even as it assesses the potential
for refracturing producing wells,
Castlerock Exploration is growing
its drilling inventory by
adding proved, undeveloped reserves
to an 8,000-acre, oilweighted
position. The company
plans to drill eight new wells
this year.
American Oil and Gas Reporter - May 2024

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