re: Tuscaloosa Marine Shale

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Drilling units for natural gas in Louisiana are typically 640 acres, 1 square mile. Well bores within the unit must be at least 330ft from the unit boundrys. They will usually place the rig on one boundry and drill vertical then go horizonatal to the opposite boundry stopping 330 feet short. As far as when they drill your land, I wish I knew, I have property in one gas play, and every unit adjacent to mine has been drilled, but not mine.

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North Louisiana has generally used 640 acre geographic units for all deep gas wells (Cotton Valley, Hosston/TP, Haynesville, and Smackover). Oil wells are often on smaller spacing dependent on depth. South Louisiana has mostly used geological units which follow the reservoir boundaries (interpreted) and can vary in size. These unit hearings are known for often being opposed because of their interpretive nature. The first Devon unit in Ethel is proposed as a 720 acre unit. I would assume these units would be more geographical in nature and would probably be some standard between 640 acres and 1280 depending on how long the laterals need to be and how the fractional sections near the Mississippi River come into play. What was interesting is in the Haynesville Shale companies got exemptions on the 330' distance from well bore to unit boundary line. They were allowed to drill past that as long as no perforations or stimulation occurred within 330' of the unit boundary line. This has allowed them to get a bit longer laterals and often drill the vertical leg from the adjacent section therefore maximizing horizontal exposure inside the 640 acres.