The Fayetteville Shale is a geologic formation of sedimentary rock that contains natural gas. This is an “unconventional” gas reservoir found at depths ranging from 1,000 - 7,000 feet deep with a pay zone thickness ranging from 20 - 200 feet thick.1 In “unconventional” reservoirs, the gas is trapped in the sedimentary shale rock, rather than in pockets that form a “conventional” gas reservoir. Researchers estimate that the Fayetteville Shale could hold as much as 20 trillion cubic feet of natural gas resources.
1 Modern Shale Gas Primer, US Department of Energy
The formation stretches under more than a dozen counties in North-central Arkansas, roughly from Benton County in the West to Phillips County in the East. However, the largest concentration of commercially productive natural gas is located in Cleburne, Conway, Faulkner, Van Buren and White counties. Geologists named the play the Fayetteville Shale because an outcropping of the formation can be seen near Fayetteville, in Northwest Arkansas, although there is no gas drilling in the Fayetteville area.
Natural gas drilling in North-central Arkansas became economically feasible for development in the early 2000s, when advanced horizontal drilling techniques were developed for drilling in the rather thin layer of shale.
Energy companies are not all alike. Some companies specialize in leasing mineral rights or running title research. Others are exploration and production (E&P) companies — also referred to as operators. Yet, others are service companies working primarily for operators in drilling or completion functions. It’s smart to check the background and references of any companies with which you may be working