Data, Stats, News & Info
Uinta Basin Platform Data, History & Stats
This guide provides information about the Uinta Basin Platform, oil and gas data, history, top operators, and other facts.
Overview
Uinta Basin Oil and Gas
The Uinta Basin is an emerging unconventional play gaining much attention.
While conventional drilling methods had previously been used in this basin, it was the application of fracking and horizontal drilling that truly unlocked its hydrocarbon potential.Â
Uinta Basin: The next big oil play?
Despite a decline in drilling rig counts since 2012, the Uinta Basin experienced a resurgence in crude oil production, growing at a rate of 12% per year through 2014. This growth was attributed, in part, to operators drilling longer horizontal laterals in the region.
What is the Uinta Basin?
The Uinta Basin is a geologically rich and diverse region located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Utah. Spanning approximately 7,500 square miles (about 19,400 square kilometers), it is one of the larger structural basins within the Rocky Mountain region.
In the south, it transitions into the Tavaputs Plateau, while to the east, it extends toward the Roan Plateau in Colorado. To the west, the Duchesne River and the nearby Wasatch Range delineate its western boundary.
Horizontal Rig Count
The Uinta Basin: History, Data and Facts
The history of oil production in the Uinta Basin dates back over a century.
When and how did it start?
Oil exploration in the Uinta Basin began in the late 19th century. The first commercial oil well, the Ashley Valley Well No. 1, was drilled in the town of Vernal, Utah, in 1901. This marked the beginning of the region’s oil industry.
The 1920s witnessed a significant oil boom in the Uinta Basin. This period saw the discovery of several prolific oil fields, including the Altamont-Bluebell Field and the Duchesne Dome Field. These discoveries contributed to the growth of the oil industry in the region.
Horizontal drilling began in the early 2000s. This drilling technique, became increasingly prevalent in the region, contributing to the growth of oil and gas production in the Uinta Basin, allowing operators to access oil reserves more efficiently and maximize production from existing wells.
Top counties [March 2013 - March 2023]
| Ranking | County | State | Horizontal Well Count - March 2023 | Daily Production (bo/d) - March 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duchesne | Utah | 387,0 | 73,838 |
| 2 | Carbon (UT) | Utah | 41,0 | 11,055 |
| 3 | Rio Blanco | Colorado | 9,0 | 130 |
| 4 | Uintah | Utah | 222,0 | 17 |
Top 5 oil operators [March 2013 - March 2023]
| Ranking | County | State | Horizontal Well Count - March 2023 | Daily Production (bo/d) - March 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | XCL Resources | Utah | 79 | 33,810 |
| 2 | Ovintiv | Utah | 150 | 16,504 |
| 3 | Crescent Energy | Utah | 89 | 15,689 |
| 4 | Uinta Wax | Utah | 137 | 15,128 |
| 5 | Altamont | Utah | 7 | 2,907 |
| 6 | Middle Fork Energy | Utah | 55 | 477 |
| 7 | Scout Energy Partners | Utah | 18 | 222 |
| 8 | Finley Resources | Utah | 9 | 111 |
| 9 | Robert L Bayless Producer | Colorado | 4 | 88 |
| 10 | Kgh Operating | Utah & Colorado | 5 | 34 |
| 11 | Wapiti Energy | Utah | 42 | 17 |
| 12 | LINN | Utah | 7 | 17 |
| 13 | Quinex Energy | Utah | 1 | 11 |
| 14 | Caerus | Utah | 39 | 10 |
| 15 | Utah Gas Op Ltd Dba Utah Gas | Colorado | 1 | 8 |
| 16 | Greylock Energy | Utah | 6 | 5 |
| 17 | Utah Gas Operating | Colorado | 1 | 3 |
| 18 | Cobra | Utah | 2 | 0 |
| 19 | Civitas Resources | Utah | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | Anschutz Exploration | Utah | 1 | 0 |
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The Uinta Basin Gas Production
When and how did it start?
The development of natural gas resources in the Uinta Basin was closely linked to the region’s early oil industry. As oil wells were drilled and produced, natural gas was often encountered as a byproduct. In the early 20th century, this associated natural gas was frequently flared at the wellhead due to a lack of infrastructure for gas utilization.
Over time, as the demand for natural gas grew, dedicated gas fields were developed in the Uinta Basin. These fields targeted natural gas reservoirs in sedimentary formations such as the Green River Formation.
Advancements in drilling and production technologies, including hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and horizontal drilling, have played a role in increasing natural gas production efficiency in the Uinta Basin. These technologies have allowed access to gas reserves in unconventional formations like shale.
Gas production over the last 10 years
Top counties [March 2013 - March 2023]
| Ranking | County | State | Horizontal Well Count - March 2023 | Daily Production (Mcf/d) - March 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duchesne | Utah | 387 | 96,582 |
| 2 | Uintah | Utah | 222 | 65,545 |
| 3 | Carbon (UT) | Utah | 41 | 3,604 |
| 4 | Rio Blanco | Colorado | 9 | 1,129 |
Top 5 natural gas operators [March 2013 - March 2023
| Ranking | County | State | Horizontal Well Count - March 2023 | Daily Production (Mcf/d) - March 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle Fork Energy | Utah | 55 | 53,191 |
| 2 | Crescent Energy | Utah | 89 | 37,408 |
| 3 | XCL Resources | Utah | 79 | 28,770 |
| 4 | Ovintiv | Utah | 150 | 23,973 |
| 5 | Uinta Wax | Utah | 137 | 11,556 |
| 6 | Wapiti Energy | Utah | 42 | 3,604 |
| 7 | Caerus | Utah | 39 | 2,606 |
| 8 | Altamont | Utah | 7 | 2,065 |
| 9 | Greylock Energy | Utah | 6 | 1,677 |
| 10 | Kgh Operating | Utah & Colorado | 5 | 581 |
| 11 | Robert L Bayless Producer | Colorado | 4 | 501 |
| 12 | Cobra | Utah | 2 | 337 |
| 13 | Scout Energy Partners | Utah | 18 | 290 |
| 14 | Utah Gas Operating | Utah | 1 | 123 |
| 15 | Finley Resources | Utah | 9 | 60 |
| 16 | Utah Gas Op Ltd Dba Utah Gas | Colorado | 1 | 47 |
| 17 | LINN | Utah | 7 | 43 |
| 18 | Quinex Energy | Utah | 1 | 28 |
| 19 | Civitas Resources | Utah | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | Anschutz Exploration | Utah | 1 | 0 |
Natural resources in the Uinta Basin
The Uinta Basin possesses not only substantial hydrocarbon resources but also a range of valuable natural resources. From abundant oil sands and oil shale deposits to its valuable minerals such as phosphate and gilsonite. While not as prominent as oil and natural gas, coal deposits are also present in the Uinta Basin. Coal has historically been mined for electricity generation and industrial processes.
Also, in recent years, there has been a growing interest in renewable energy sources in the Uinta Basin. Solar and wind energy projects have been established in the region, taking advantage of the area’s ample sunlight and wind resources.
The Uinta Basin formations
the Uinta Basin in Utah is home to several major geological formations, each with its own unique characteristics and significance. Here are some of the major formations found in the Uinta Basin.
Major formations:
Upper Green River Formation
The Upper Green River Formation, part of the broader Green River Formation, is a remarkable geological record dating back to the Eocene period, around 50 million years ago. It’s like a time capsule of ancient intermountain lakes that once existed in what is now Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah.
Douglas Creek
The Douglas Creek Formation, a member of the Green River Formation during the Eocene period, holds a unique place in the geology of the Uinta Basin. Located east of Bitter Creek in Uintah County, Utah, it stretches across to the head of Douglas Creek in Rio Blanco County, Colorado, and further into the eastern half of Garfield County, Colorado, within the Piceance Basin.
Black Shale
The Black Shale Formation is a component of the larger Green River Formation. This formation consists of several rock units, including lacustrine units designated A to D and a fluvial unit known as the Wasatch tongue of the black-shale facies. These units are characterized by their black fine-grained clastic rocks and varying carbonate content.
Castle Peak
The Castle Peak Formation, found within the Green River Formation, is a significant focus of horizontal oil production. This formation is comprised of several sub-members, including the Castle Peak limestone, Castle Peak shale, Bar-F sandstone, and Long Point bed.
Uteland Butte
The Uteland Butte Formation, a significant member of the Green River Formation. This formation, spanning a thickness range from less than 60 feet to over 200 feet, represents the first widespread transgression of Lake Uinta in the Uinta Basin during the Eocene. The Uteland Butte Formation has gained prominence in recent years as an unconventional hydrocarbon target.
Wasatch
The Wasatch Formation is a significant geological unit in the Uinta Basin, and the greater Rocky Mountain region. The Wasatch Formation has been a focus of geological exploration for decades, particularly its conventional sandstone reservoirs that have yielded significant quantities of oil and gas.
Mesaverde Group
The Mesaverde Group is a geologic group, it is notable for its lithological diversity, including sandstone, mudstone, claystone, conglomerate, carbon-enriched shale, and coal. These layers were deposited during the Late Cretaceous period when sea levels were changing, resulting in the formation of parallel and vertically stacked rock layers.
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