Conasauga shale

The Conasauga Shale Field is a Cambrian Period part of the Appalachian thrust and fault region of Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee.

This area has a unique subsidence and thrust zone under it that geologist William Thomas has classified as a "mushwad".

Casing is normally used only until penetration into the Conasauga, and then left open-hole so that multiple gas layers within the hole may flow to the borehole.

The well was initially drilled with air to approximately 2,100 ft (640 m) when it encountered a significant quantity of gas that reportedly required closing the blowout preventer.

After acquiring approximately 9,000 acres (36 km2), they put together the Big Canoe Prospect package, which was offered to numerous potential industry partners.

[2] After drilling out from under the surface pipe, they encountered their first good gas kick at 2,510 ft (770 m), which was flared to the pit.

[2] Immediately after the well was drilled, Energen and Dominion entered a bidding war for the remaining leases in north St. Clair County.

[1] The Dominion Andrews 27-14 #3 well was spudded April 20, 2006 and drilled to 3,412 ft (1,040 m), where the bit fell three feet (0.91 m) and then the well blew out.

When asked about pressure information for the well, he falsely responded they had none,[1][2] though after they got the well under control, they bolted a three-port manifold to the blowout preventer.

The size of the ports were not reported, however, it was estimated that the well was flowing at 8 to 10 million cubic feet (230,000 to 280,000 m3) of gas per day.

[2] The Burgess E28-11 #58 well, while drilling (on April 12 that year) at 3,500 ft (1,100 m) kicked so hard that they had to light the flare stack.

[1][2] Energen Resources out of Birmingham, Alabama started buying leases in the St.Clair and Etowah Counties in June 2005.

[5] Loews Corporation, controlled by the wealthy Tisch family, became a substantial leader in the Conasauga Shale in July 2007 via the purchase of natural gas assets from Dominion.

[3] Northeast Alabama Gas District's territory covers Talladega, Calhoun, and Cleburne Counties, less the areas inside municipal limits and one small area in the Southern part of Cleburne County currently served by another Gas District.

Royalties provided by the District are equal to 20% of production and are higher than those reportedly being offered by the for-profit operators in surrounding areas.

The Gas District has five charitable trusts for education, health care, social services, long-term care and economic development and job creation that receive a portion of the natural gas revenues to provide additional benefits for residents in the region.