The Huron Shale - 60 Years Later

Lars Halverson
Range Resources, Canonsburg, PA

Development of the Huron Shale began in Kentucky’s Big Sandy Field over 100 years ago. This play was extended into Virginia with limited success in the 1950s. Production was subsequently established in Virginia from tight gas sands in the 1970s and from coal seams in the 1990s resulting in cumulative production of 2 TCF through 2011. Recent advances in horizontal drilling and fracing technologies have refocused efforts on the Huron Shale in Virginia. The Huron Shale is an abnormally low-pressured reservoir that requires specialized drilling and completion techniques to achieve commercial production. Continued optimization of well design including zone selection, increased lateral length and shorter frac stages has resulted in greater well productivity and higher EURs. Achieving improvements while at the same time reducing costs is key to making this play successful.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90154©2012 AAPG Eastern Section Meeting, Cleveland, Ohio, 22-26 September 2012