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More initial oil coming from Eagle Ford shale

Shale basin helps keep Texas at the top of the oil heap.

By Daniel J. Graeber

WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Oil production from the Eagle Ford shale play should increase with improved drilling efficiency, though the area is prone to declines, analysis Monday finds. The U.S. Energy Information Administration, a division of the Energy Department, said the increase in drilling and improvements in drilling efficiency have led to more oil from the Eagle Ford shale region in southern Texas.

"These increases have occurred despite the region's relatively high well decline rates," an EIA briefing said. "However, by offsetting the natural declines through the use of new recovery techniques, further production increases are possible."

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The Texas government said oil production in July, the last full month for which data are available, increased more than 25 percent year-on-year to around 2.15 million barrels per day thanks in part to production from Eagle Ford.

Eagle Ford is one of the most prolific shale basins in the United States. A separate report last week from energy consultant group Wood Mackenzie found enhanced oil recovery, a pioneering extraction method for shale basins, could add between 1.5 million and 3 million barrels per day in oil production by 2030.

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For conventional hydraulic fracturing, EIA said operators are using more sand and other materials to keep shale open. That's lead to a rise in initial production rates, but is met by a steeper drop off.

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