Exploring Barnett Shale in the Midland Basin: The Role of 3D Seismic Surveys in Unlocking Deeper Targets
Operators in the Permian Basin are expanding beyond the Spraberry and Wolfcamp intervals, exploring deeper formations like the Barnett and Woodford Shales. Recent filings with the Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) indicate a rise in drilling and permitting activity in these deeper formations. Pioneer Natural Resources, Elevation Resources, Diamondback and Continental Resources are among those targeting the gas-prone Barnett, which offers lower water production and cost efficiency. SM Energy and Vital Energy have reported promising results from new Barnett wells, with the Midland Barnett showing higher oil cuts, attracting increased interest.
The Barnett Shale is located along the complex margin between the Central Basin Platform and Midland Basin. To accurately steer and land horizontal wells targeting the Barnett, a high-resolution understanding of the structural geology is essential, and 3D seismic data plays a critical role. To support these efforts, TGS has been actively conducting extensive 3D seismic surveys in the region.
TGS completed the Block 1 3D seismic survey in 2019, covering 51 square miles in Andrews County. In early 2023, TGS also launched the Pontiac 3D seismic survey, spanning 167 square miles across Ector, Crane, Midland, and Upton counties. Later that year, the survey was extended further into Ector and Midland counties, increasing its coverage to 267 square miles. These seismic surveys provide operators with enhanced visibility into deeper hydrocarbon accumulations in the Barnett, Mississippian, and Devonian formations. Insights from the Block 1 3D survey have already led to profitable Barnett wells, and future production growth is expected as more wells are drilled in these formations.
To measure the impact of the 3D seismic data on drilling programs, we evaluated the productivity of wells within the Block 1 and Pontiac 3D survey areas that began production in or after 2010. By utilizing historical and forecasted production data from TGS Well Data Analytics, along with TGS stratigraphic models ("TGS Landing Zone"), we were able to benchmark well performance and assess landing zone targets.
According to the analysis, most wells in the Block 1 3D survey area are new, drilled and completed after 2020, following the processing of the Block 1 survey, with a focus on the Barnett Shale (Figure 1). This indicates that operators are increasingly exploring deeper zones and fringe areas, using 3D seismic surveys to uncover new targets and enhance economic potential. Figure 2 shows the production type curves for these landing zones, demonstrating that Barnett Shale wells have significantly higher daily oil production and lower water cuts compared to shallower formations.
A similar analysis of the wells located within the newest TGS 3D seismic survey, Pontiac 3D, reveals that most wells within this area are older and targeted the Spraberry and Wolfcamp formations, with only a few recent completions in the Barnett Shale. Figure 3 presents the production type curves for this area, grouped by landing zones. Despite the limited number of recent Barnett completions, these wells show higher daily oil production and lower water cuts compared to wells in shallower formations. This suggests that operators can capitalize on the modern, high-resolution Pontiac 3D seismic survey to identify deeper, more economical formations like the Barnett, thereby boosting profitability.
Figure 1. The TGS Well Data Analytics application shows active producing wells since 2010 in the Block 1 3D survey, color-coded by first production month (top) and by landing zone (bottom).
Figure 2. The TGS Well Data Analytics application displays Daily Oil Production (top) and Water Cut (bottom) type curves for active producing wells since 2010 within the Block 1 3D survey, color-coded by landing zone.
Figure 3. The TGS Well Data Analytics application shows Daily Oil Production (top) and Water Cut (bottom) type curves for active producing wells since 2010 within the Pontiac 3D survey, color-coded by landing zone.
This analysis aims to quantify the value of modern 3D seismic data by examining its impact on drilling programs. The study found that using seismic data improved performance, enabled the development of additional landing zones, and delivered a strong return on investment by identifying deeper, more economical formations like the Barnett. The workflow can be efficiently conducted through TGS Well Data Analytics, supporting benchmarking, optimization, and sensitivity analyses.
If you want to learn more about the geology and economic viability of the Barnett Shale, check out our Well Intel article coming out at the end of September. Subscribe to Well Intel articles here.
For more information on TGS Well Data Analytics or to schedule a demo, please contact us at WDPSales@tgs.com.
