Pioneer to ramp up Spraberry multizone work

July 28, 2010
Pioneer Natural Resources Co., Dallas, expects to be internally providing 30-60% of its own service requirements in West Texas’ giant Spraberry Trend by 2012, when it foresees running 40 rigs and drilling 1,000 wells/year.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 28
-- Pioneer Natural Resources Co., Dallas, expects to be internally providing 30-60% of its own service requirements in West Texas’ giant Spraberry Trend by 2012, when it foresees running 40 rigs and drilling 1,000 wells/year.

The company expects to have drilled 440 wells in all of 2010, with the present 20 rigs to grow to 25-30 by yearend. It envisions Spraberry production at 34,000 boe/d by the fourth quarter, 10% higher than the 2009 fourth quarter, and doubling by 2013 from 2010.

The 2010 drilling program is adding incremental production and proved reserves from completions in the Lower Wolfcamp, shale/silt, and the deeper Strawn intervals, Pioneer said 40% of its remaining 2010 wells penetrate the Strawn. Initial production rates from wells drilled to the three intervals have been 20-30% higher than the 60 boe/d average initial production rate of a traditional Spraberry-Dean-Upper Wolfcamp well.

Pioneer will drill two horizontal wells to Wolfcamp, one later in the third quarter and the other in the fourth quarter.

Wells and facilities have also been completed for the company’s 7,000-acre waterflood. Injection is to start in the third quarter, and oil response is expected in the first half of 2011.

One company-owned frac fleet is operating in the field, and one more is to be delivered in each of the next three quarters. Pioneer has contracts in place for sand supply through 2015. Frac tank ownership will rise to 550 from 250 by the end of 2010. Tubular and pumping unit requirements have been contracted through 2011.

Pioneer is running six company-owned drilling rigs and will field six more by yearend. Six pulling units are being added to bring the fleet to 24 units by mid-2011. The company also owns hot oil units, water transport trucks, reverse units, and fishing tools to support its growing operations.