The Haynesville Shale is a geologic formation of sedimentary rock that contains natural gas. In 2008 Chesapeake announced its discovery of the Haynesville Shale, which has the potential to become the largest natural gas play in the U.S. by 2012, with technically recoverable resources estimated at 251 trillion cubic feet.
The Haynesville Shale formation is situated in the North Louisiana Salt Basin in northern Louisiana and eastern Texas. It is located between 10,500 and 13,500 feet below the surface, and covers an area of approximately 9,000 square miles with an average thickness of 200 to 300 feet.
Natural gas drilling in the Haynesville Shale became economically feasible for development when advanced drilling and completion techniques, such as horizontal drilling coupled with hydraulic fracturing, were developed.
Energy companies are not all alike. Some companies specialize in leasing mineral rights or running title searches. Others are exploration and production (E&P) companies, also referred to as operators. Yet, still others are service companies working primarily for operators in drilling or completion functions. Always check the background and references of any companies you may be working with.
Chesapeake Energy Corporation is one of the largest producers of natural gas in the nation and the most active driller of new wells in the U.S. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Chesapeake’s strategy is to focus on discovering, acquiring and developing conventional and unconventional natural gas reserves onshore in the U.S., primarily in the "Big 4" natural gas shale plays: the Barnett Shale of North-central Texas, the Haynesville Shale of East Texas and northwestern Louisiana, the Fayetteville Shale of central Arkansas and the Marcellus Shale of the northern Appalachian Basin. We have substantial operations in various other plays, both conventional and unconventional in the Mid-Continent, Appalachian Basin, Permian Basin, Delaware Basin, South Texas, Texas Gulf Coast and Ark-La-Tex regions of the U.S.
Chesapeake was named the Best-Managed Energy Company by Forbes in 2007, and also received the "Excellence in Innovation and Diversity" award for our unprecedented work at DFW International Airport. In addition, Fortune magazine has voted Chesapeake one of the nation's "100 Top Companies To Work For®" for two consecutive years, 2008 - 2009. The company has had an active presence in Louisiana since 1995 and has numerous offices throughout North Louisiana and East Texas, including a corporate office in downtown Shreveport.