General Information on the "Frac Process"

Here is some general information regarding the all important frac process of a Barnett Shale well.

The smaller completion rig (sometimes called a workover rig) follows the drilling rig by a few weeks and sometimes longer. During that interval, the company evaluates data required to complete the well and then schedule the frac work. When pipelines are not available, this removes any "hurry" in scheduling the frac.

Once frac job is done, there is usually another couple of weeks of flowback and cleaning out of the well and running production equipment.

Depending on the pipeline infrastructure near the well, it is not uncommon for it to be 150 to 180 days from "spud" (the beginning of drilling) to the sale of gas.