Companies extract oil and gas from various shales. However, there is one shale that outshines them all. Look at a brief history of the Eagle Ford Oil Shale for information about this important geological formation. 

What Is the Eagle Ford Oil Shale?

The Eagle Ford Shale is a hydrocarbon-producing geological formation. It’s one of the most-drilled shale formations in the United States because it produces natural gas, liquid, and oil (much more oil than other traditional shales).

The shale extends from the Mexican border to East Texas and is around 50 miles wide and 400 miles long. It has an average thickness of 250 feet within the Railroad Commission of Texas Districts 1–6.

Eagle Ford Shale contains a high carbonate shale percentage, upward of 70 percent in South Texas, and increases as it moves northwest. The high percentage of carbonate makes it more brittle, thereby making the shale more conducive to hydraulic fracturing. 

It is Cretaceous in age, having formed around 89 to 95 million years ago. It rests between the Austin Chalk and the Buda Lime. The shale gets its name from Eagle Ford, Texas, which is 6 miles west of Dallas, Texas. People can see an outcrop of the shale in the Dallas Fort Worth area. 

Understanding the Shale

The Eagle Ford Shale has formation divisions known as windows. The northern window contains oil, and the central window contains natural gas liquids, such as propane and ethane. The southern window has natural gas. These elements produce various industrial products, so the shale is a popular site for oil and gas companies. 

The first well drill occurred in 2008. Since then, companies have used horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing methods to extract oil, liquid, and gas from the formation.

Eagle Ford Oil Shale Today

As mentioned, the Eagle Ford Oil Shale is a popular area for the oil and gas industry. In 2010, drilling permits drastically increased (more than 1,000 permits issued). Then, 4,000 permits were issued during 2012. Now, more than 10,000 issued permits exist for the site. As gas and oil production steadily increases, the Eagle Ford Oil Shale has several active gas and oil wells. 

Refer to the brief history of the Eagle Ford Oil Shale for insight into the formation. If your company plans to extract natural resources from the shale, you need safety gear. At Coastal Resource Group, we offer industry safety products like PPE and first aid. Order your supplies today.