Getting results

Devon is the largest gas producer in Texas. In 2007, we drilled 539 wells in the prolific Barnett Shale in north Texas.

Holt Hickman
Businessman and land owner
Fort Worth, Texas

"I was born in Fort Worth and have spent my entire career in north Texas. As a businessman, it has always been important to look for opportunities to give back to my community. Good business means being a good neighbor. I saw Devon demonstrate that philosophy first hand while working on a recent drilling project on my property. They responded quickly and effectively when adjacent residents expressed concern about noise and truck traffic. Devon used ingenuity, compromise and creativity to accommodate the residents. As a result, two wells were successfully drilled on my property. But the best part was that the neighbors were no longer concerned about trucks or noise."

Sometimes a new application of an old idea is all it takes to achieve a modern technological breakthrough. That is what happened at Devon in 2002. The old idea was horizontal drilling, and the result was a new era for natural gas production from shale.

Devon applied horizontal drilling technology to the Barnett Shale following the company's acquisition of Mitchell Energy in 2002 and in 2007 drilled its 1,000th horizontal well. Prior to its acquisition, Mitchell's activities in the Barnett had been confined to vertical drilling in a relatively small area with the most favorable geological characteristics. Following the acquisition, we began experimenting with horizontal drilling as a way to overcome geological challenges.

The pilot program showed encouraging results. By 2004, we expanded our horizontal drilling program beyond the core to the Barnett's more complex areas. Horizontal drilling was the key that opened expansion in the Barnett, and it remains a key to future expansion into shale plays across North America.