It’s been there all along, and the energy companies working north Louisiana’s massive natural gas find, the Haynesville Shale, in the past year knew it. In fact, it’s what they were originally after when they realized the potential of the Haynesville Shale, a gold mine below it that many believe is one of the biggest natural gas reserves in the country. Now, reports the Times-Picayune, the Bossier Shale, which is about 500 feet closer to the earth’s surface in north Louisiana, may rival the Haynesville.
But companies that wanted to profit from both gas finds had to first deal with the Haynesville. Companies must drill in order to maintain control of leased land, but most leases do not protect rights over minerals that may exist below the area that has been tapped. Firms were able to keep a hold over both shale deposits by drilling through the Bossier and into the Haynesville... Now that Haynesville production is underway - with more than 700 active wells in north Louisiana - companies are returning their thoughts to the mid-Bossier Shale.
Chesapeake Energy Corp., which launched last year’s Haynesville frenzy, tapped one mid-Bossier well about three months ago. Chesapeake expects the well to produce more 5 billion cubic feet of natural gas, which rivals the productivity of a Haynesville well.
Read the rest of the T-P story here and the potential role of natural gas as a bridge fuel to a 21st century energy economy in this month’s issue of Acadiana Business.