− | The Newark East field was discovered in 1981 by Mitchell Energy Corporation (acquired by Devon Energy). The development of the field started slowly, and only 100 wells were completed between 1981 and 1990. In 1998, a major breakthrough in completion techniques occurred when water fracturing replaced gel fracturing. From 1997 to 2006, more than 5829 wells were put on production, and hundreds of additional wells were drilled, completed, or waiting on a pipeline. Vertical wells were the primary drilling method until 2002 when seven experimental horizontal wells were drilled. The excellent success of these wells prompted many operators to move their drilling mode from vertical to horizontal. The early development of the fields (up until 2007), is outlined by Martineau.<ref>Martineau, D. F., 2007, [http://archives.datapages.com/data/bulletns/2007/04apr/INTRODUCTION/INTRODUCTION.HTM History of the Newark East Field and Barnett Shale as a gas reservoir]: AAPG Bulletin, v. 91, no. 4, pp. 399-403.</ref> Development activity continues today with over 14,000 active gas wells as of January 2015. | + | The Newark East field was discovered in 1981 by Mitchell Energy Corporation (acquired by Devon Energy). The development of the field started slowly, and only 100 wells were completed between 1981 and 1990. In 1998, a major breakthrough in completion techniques occurred when water fracturing replaced gel fracturing. From 1997 to 2006, more than 5829 wells were put on production, and hundreds of additional wells were drilled, completed, or waiting on a pipeline. Vertical wells were the primary drilling method until 2002 when seven experimental [[horizontal well]]s were drilled. The excellent success of these wells prompted many operators to move their drilling mode from vertical to horizontal. The early development of the fields (up until 2007), is outlined by Martineau.<ref>Martineau, D. F., 2007, [http://archives.datapages.com/data/bulletns/2007/04apr/INTRODUCTION/INTRODUCTION.HTM History of the Newark East Field and Barnett Shale as a gas reservoir]: AAPG Bulletin, v. 91, no. 4, pp. 399-403.</ref> Development activity continues today with over 14,000 active gas wells as of January 2015. |
| [[File:BarnettShalePlayFig2.png|thumb|300px|{{figure number|2}}Generalized subsurface stratigraphic section of the Bend arch–Fort Worth Basin province showing the distribution of source rocks, reservoir rocks, and seal rocks of the Barnett-Paleozoic Total Petroleum System. From Pollastro.<ref>Pollastro, R. M., D. M. Jarvie, R. J. Hill, & C. W. Adams, 2007, [http://archives.datapages.com/data/bulletns/2007/04apr/BLTN06008/BLTN06008.HTM Geologic framework of the Mississippian Barnett Shale, Barnett-Paleozoic total petroleum system, Bend arch--Fort Worth Basin, Texas]: AAPG Bulletin, v. 91, no. 4, pp. 405-436.</ref>]] | | [[File:BarnettShalePlayFig2.png|thumb|300px|{{figure number|2}}Generalized subsurface stratigraphic section of the Bend arch–Fort Worth Basin province showing the distribution of source rocks, reservoir rocks, and seal rocks of the Barnett-Paleozoic Total Petroleum System. From Pollastro.<ref>Pollastro, R. M., D. M. Jarvie, R. J. Hill, & C. W. Adams, 2007, [http://archives.datapages.com/data/bulletns/2007/04apr/BLTN06008/BLTN06008.HTM Geologic framework of the Mississippian Barnett Shale, Barnett-Paleozoic total petroleum system, Bend arch--Fort Worth Basin, Texas]: AAPG Bulletin, v. 91, no. 4, pp. 405-436.</ref>]] |
− | The Barnett Shale is an upper Mississippian aged organic rich shale. It serves as the reservoir, source and seal for the Newark East field. It is also the primary source for petroleum in the Fort Worth Basin, and has been the source rock of oil and gas for other conventional reservoir systems in the basin such as the Ellenburger, Strawn, and others. Jarvie et. al,<ref>Jarvie, D. M., R. J. Hill, T. E. Ruble, & R. M. Pollastro, 2007, [http://archives.datapages.com/data/bulletns/2007/04apr/BLTN06068/BLTN06068.HTM Unconventional shale-gas systems: The Mississippian Barnett Shale of north-central Texas as one model for thermogenic shale-gas assessment]: AAPG Bulletin, v. 91, no. 4, pp. 475-499.</ref> Montgomery,<ref>Montgomery, S. L., D. M. Jarvie, K. A. Bowker, & R. M. Pollastro, 2005, [http://archives.datapages.com/data/bulletns/2005/02feb/0155/0155.HTM Mississippian Barnett Shale, Fort Worth basin, north-central Texas: Gas-shale play with multi–trillion cubic foot potential]: AAPG Bulletin, v. 89, no. 2, pp. 155-175.</ref> and Hill,<ref>Hill, R. J., E. Zhang, B. J. Katz, & Y. Tang, 2007, [http://archives.datapages.com/data/bulletns/2007/04apr/BLTN06063/BLTN06063.HTM Modeling of gas generation from the Barnett Shale, Fort Worth Basin, Texas]: AAPG Bulletin, v. 91, no. 4, pp. 501-52</ref> published on the Barnet shale potential, and a [http://archives.datapages.com/data/browse/aapg-bulletin/2007/4/ Special Edition of the AAPG Bulletin (April 2007)], was dedicated to the Barnett shale and Newark East field. | + | The Barnett Shale is a Late Mississippian aged organic rich shale. It serves as the reservoir, source and seal for the Newark East field. It is also the primary source for petroleum in the Fort Worth Basin, and has been the source rock of oil and gas for other conventional reservoir systems in the basin such as the Ellenburger, Strawn, and others. Jarvie et. al,<ref>Jarvie, D. M., R. J. Hill, T. E. Ruble, & R. M. Pollastro, 2007, [http://archives.datapages.com/data/bulletns/2007/04apr/BLTN06068/BLTN06068.HTM Unconventional shale-gas systems: The Mississippian Barnett Shale of north-central Texas as one model for thermogenic shale-gas assessment]: AAPG Bulletin, v. 91, no. 4, pp. 475-499.</ref> Montgomery,<ref>Montgomery, S. L., D. M. Jarvie, K. A. Bowker, & R. M. Pollastro, 2005, [http://archives.datapages.com/data/bulletns/2005/02feb/0155/0155.HTM Mississippian Barnett Shale, Fort Worth basin, north-central Texas: Gas-shale play with multi–trillion cubic foot potential]: AAPG Bulletin, v. 89, no. 2, pp. 155-175.</ref> and Hill,<ref>Hill, R. J., E. Zhang, B. J. Katz, & Y. Tang, 2007, [http://archives.datapages.com/data/bulletns/2007/04apr/BLTN06063/BLTN06063.HTM Modeling of gas generation from the Barnett Shale, Fort Worth Basin, Texas]: AAPG Bulletin, v. 91, no. 4, pp. 501-52</ref> published on the Barnet shale potential, and a [http://archives.datapages.com/data/browse/aapg-bulletin/2007/4/ Special Edition of the AAPG Bulletin (April 2007)], was dedicated to the Barnett shale and Newark East field. |