shale boom

Perspectives

The US shale boom

Optimizing shale wells for continued growth

As America’s energy landscape continues to evolve, is the oil and gas industry tapping into shale’s full potential? Discover vital insights on the shale boom, where new shale growth opportunities lie, and what US shale operators can do to seize them.

The US shale boom

Our new infographic explores the role of well design in creating new shale growth opportunities:

  • Engineering and completion intensity for the industry is at a record high (65 percent increase since 2010), but rising shale performance and output isn’t translating into higher cash flows for operators.
  • The under-engineering of shale wells leaves resources unmonetized, but costs associated with over-engineering shale wells can more than offset productivity gains.   
  • Higher oil prices can make shale operators blind to shale outlook potential, while lower oil prices can expose cracks. 
  • Oilfield service providers and midstream companies can help US shale operators seize new opportunities and safeguard long-term shale growth.

Explore the full infographic to dig deeper into the role of well design in maintaining the shale boom.

Ready for a revolution? The US shale boom 2.0

Shale growth has already altered the US energy environment, but is there more potential to tap? Our four-part article series Moving the US shale revolution forward is based on Deloitte’s statistical interpretation of reported well-level geological, engineering, and productivity data. It aims to study the learning curves, unearth success factors, and identify operational well-enhancement opportunities for the US shale boom and shale operators.

Explore each of the articles in the series:

Deciphering the performance puzzle in shales
The first article in our series statistically decodes the evolution and progress of the shale boom by analyzing more than 80,000 horizontal shale wells spread across the United States.

The Permian basin playbook: Optimizing design experimentation 
Even after almost 100 years, the Permian continues to grow from strength to strength due to the shale boom. However, flattening gains indicate that operators must adopt strategies that combine their technical know-how with analytical capabilities.

The Eagle Ford basin playbook: Focusing on capital efficiency
The past 10 years have seen many changes in the Eagle Ford—from one of the fastest-growing shale basins to a drastic fall in production and, finally, a shale growth recovery of sorts. While several Eagle Ford operators have enhanced their production, what more can they do to operate shale wells optimally in the basin?

Shale’s next act: Collaborate to magnify and extend the opportunity
Shale’s continued resilience during the lower oil price environment indicates a promising shale growth outlook for the next decade. But as the resource matures, all stakeholders will have to work together to help realize the US shale boom’s full potential.

Explore more in our four-part article series: Moving the US shale revolution forward

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