The local shale boom of a few years ago has given way to more measured growth, according to one of the leading energy companies working the Fayetteville Shale, Southwestern Energy.
“Time will tell, but the uncertainty in price will generally indicate more cautious growth,” said Jack Bergeron, senior vice president of operations. “In general, Arkansas shale gas wells have lower productivity than wells in other parts of the country, therefore, higher gas prices are needed for Arkansas activity to measurably increase.”
Bergeron said the refinement of drilling technology helps the company maximize the gas it does extract from shale, while at the same time achieving a lower environmental impact.
“[Technological advancements] have enabled us to drill longer lateral wells in less time and at lower costs,” he said. “This has also allowed us to reduce our environmental footprint through the ability to drill more wells from fewer pads.
“Through our Energy Conserving Water Initiative, we achieved freshwater neutral in all of our operating areas. This means for every gallon of fresh water we use in our operations, we return a gallon of fresh water to the environment.”
Southwestern employs 600 in Arkansas. Bergeron said quality of life in Conway helps keep the company adequately staffed.
“Conway has the infrastructure and amenities we need to attract and retain the highly skilled and dedicated workforce required to support our operations in the Fayetteville Shale,” he said.
See more about Conway’s economic growth at Outlook Conway.
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