Fayetteville Shale Orientation:
The Fayetteville
Shale, is a black, organic-rich rock of Mississippian age that underlies much of northern Arkansas and adjacent states. It
produces natural gas in the central portion of the Arkoma basin. The productive wells penetrate the Fayetteville Shale at
depths between a few hundred and 7000 feet below the surface and at elevations of between a few hundred feet above sea level
and 7000 feet below sea level.
The first wells to produce natural gas from the Fayetteville Shale were traditional
vertical wells with low to moderate production rates. However, in the past several years vertical wells have been drilled
down to just above the Fayetteville Shale, turned, and drilled horizontally through the rock unit. These horizontal wells
intersect large numbers of vertical fractures which bring a flow of gas into the well and drain the surrounding rock. Fractures
are also induced by pumping pressurized fluids down the well bore to fracture the rock unit. These additional fractures enhance
the permeability of the Fayetteville Shale and allow more efficient gas production.
