RANGE RESOURCES CORPORATION (NYSE: RRC) today provided an
operations update. Second quarter production volumes averaged 434 Mmcfe
per day, a 14% increase over the prior year and 4% higher than first
quarter 2009. Second quarter production exceeded the Company’s guidance
of 420 – 425 Mmcfe per day, due to better than expected drilling results
in the Barnett and Marcellus Shale plays. Range has now posted 26
consecutive quarters of sequential production growth. Despite a
significantly lower capital budget and the recent sale of its West Texas
oil properties, Range currently anticipates that it will achieve
double-digit production growth again in 2009.
Second quarter development expenditures of $110 million funded the
drilling of 145 (95.8 net) wells and 6 (5.9 net) recompletions. A 100%
success rate was achieved. For the first six months of 2009, 161 (102.9
net) wells have been successfully drilled and are now on production,
while 84 (55.9 net) wells are currently in various stages of completion
or waiting on pipeline connection. Currently, Range has 14 rigs in
operation versus 30 this time last year.
During the second quarter, the Marcellus Shale division continued to
make excellent progress. The technical team is continuing to delineate
areas and de-risk its large land position. Marcellus Shale production is
on plan and now exceeds 50 Mmcfe per day net and is expected to approach
the higher end of the previously announced target of 80 - 100 Mmcfe per
day net by year end. From inception, Range has drilled and completed 46
horizontal Marcellus Shale wells, of which 41 are on production.
Twenty-four of the wells have been on production for no less than 120
days and some for as long as two years. Range currently estimates that
these 24 wells have an average gross ultimate recovery of 4.4 Bcfe. All
of these wells are located in southwest Pennsylvania, and our current
cost to drill and complete from a multi-well pad site is $3.5 million
per well. After adjusting for an average royalty of 15%, this results in
finding and development costs, net to Range, of less than $1.00 per
mcfe. At a $5.00 NYMEX gas price held flat, adjusted for basis
differentials, these Marcellus wells generate a pre-tax rate-of-return
of 50% (79% at $7.00 NYMEX). Range plans to drill approximately 70
horizontal wells in the Marcellus Shale play in 2009 with approximately
50 being completed prior to year end. The Marcellus division currently
has three horizontal rigs operating, which is scheduled to increase to
six rigs by year end. The build out of the Marcellus midstream
infrastructure in southwest Pennsylvania is progressing as scheduled. By
December 2009 or January 2010, gross processing capacity should be
expanded to 200 Mmcf per day. An additional 120 Mmcf per day of
processing capacity has been ordered for start-up in early 2011,
increasing gross processing capacity to more than 300 Mmcf per day.
The Southwest division also delivered strong drilling results in the
second quarter. For the quarter, Barnett production averaged 120 Mmcfe
per day net. The division recently tested seven wells in Denton County
for a combined rate of 17 Mmcfe per day.