Drilling Down: New identity for BP i...

BP launched BPX Energy as the new operating company to drill its North American shale holdings following its acquisition of the shale assets of the Australian company BHP

British oil major BP is drilling under a new name in Texas and Louisiana.

Nearly a year after buying the onshore North American assets of Australian conglomerate BHP in a $10.5 billion deal, BP has launched BPX Energy as the new operating company for the combined drilling operations. With a statewide footprint that includes hundreds of leases in the Permian Basin, Eagle Ford Shale and Haynesville Shale, BPX Energy, headquartered in Denver, registered with the Railroad Commission of Texas in August.

BP America filed more than 1,300 drilling permits across the Texas since January 2002 while BHP had filed nearly 1,100 since July 2013. The two companies filed the last drilling permits in Texas under their previous names in late July.

Over the past two months, BP has filed 28 drilling permits with the Railroad Commission under the name BPX Energy for projects split between the Permian Basin and Eagle Ford Shale.

Permian Basin

Recently formed Titus Oil & Gas is planning to develop four horizontal wells in Reeves County. Located on the company’s Nighthawk State lease, the wells target the Ford West field of the Wolfcamp geological layer to total depths of 9,634 feet. Formed in May and headquartered in Fort Worth, the company has filed 10 drilling permits so far this year.

Eagle Ford Shale

Houston-based Verdun Oil & Gas is staying true to its World War I theme. Named after a battle in the Western Front of France, Verdun also gives World War I names to its oil leases. The company is seeking permission to develop three horizontal oil wells targeting the Eagle Ford Shale on its Teufel Hunden lease in McMullen County. Teufel Hunden, or Devil Dogs, was the nickname German soldiers gave to U.S. Marines at the Battle of Belleau Wood.

Haynesville Shale

Tyler oil and gas company Tanos Exploration is planning to develop four wells in Harrison County. Three horizontal natural gas wells on the company’s Mia Austin lease target the Carthage field of the Haynesville Shale to total depths up to 11,096 feet. A recompletion of a vertical gas well on the company’s Jenkins A lease targets the Blocker field of the Page geological layer to a depth of 10,800 feet.

Barnett Shale

Dallas natural gas company Atmos Energy plans to recomplete a horizontal well on its Lake Dallas Gas Storage Unit lease near Lewisville Lake in Denton County. The storage well targets the Lake Dallas field of the Strawn geological layer down to a total depth of 2,933 feet.

Conventionals

Beeville wildcatter Dan A. Hughes Company obtained a permit to drill a new gas well on its West Santa Fe Ranch field in Brooks County in South Texas. The well targets the Santa Fe East field to a depth of 9,000 feet.