RE: Seeking Alpha15 Feb 2024 09:11
Many thanks. Amazing report for those of us who are LTH, specially this part:
Risk-Reward Analysis
In June 2002, Range Resources (RRC) drilled the Renz-1 well in Pennsylvania. Two years later, the Marcellus shale in that well was fracked, using a method that had first been tried in the Barnett shale in Texas, thus leading to the opening of the enormous Marcellus play, which ended up as the main growth engine of the U.S. shale gas revolution.
From the dawn of the U.S. shale gas revolution to the late-2014 cycle peak, operators with large land positions in Marcellus saw their share prices skyrocketed. Range achieved a 27-bagger, while fellow Marcellus developers Cabot Oil & Gas Corp - now known as Coterra Energy (CTRA) - pulled off a 24-bagger, CNX Resources (CNX) a 17-bagger by 2008 or a 7-bagger by 2014, and EQT Corp. (EQT) a 6-bagger. Participation in the opening and development of the Marcellus shale gas play rewarded shareholders extremely well (Fig. 7).
Historical natural gas production from the Marcellus shale play in the U.S., and the stock performance of producers with significant participation in the Marcellus play.
Today's Beetaloo is similar in terms of play maturity to where Marcellus was back in 2004. The Beetaloo shale gas play had just been opened, with a productive shale gas system with stacked pay potential being confirmed to be in place. On the other hand, appraisal of the shale play is still ongoing, and locally-optimal well drilling and completion techniques are yet to be found, which represents some additional risk.
Australian government seems to be doing all the right things to create a pro-business environment for operators in the Beetaloo Basin. Federal financial assistance to exploration drilling succeeded in attracting private capital. However, until the completion of infrastructure upgrade, E&P activities remain to be costly.
That the legal dispute Santos had with a large landowner in NT was quickly resolved indicates land access is well regulated in NT and not an unsurmountable obstacle as in some countries.
Australia has a strong oilfield service industry to support E&P activities in the basin. Furthermore, the know-how with regard to shale gas development the oil industry has gleaned in the U.S. over the past 20 years may be parlayed to Beetaloo.
Therefore, I would venture to say the operating environment at Beetaloo is similar to, if not more advanced than, what had been prevailing on the eve of the opening of the Marcellus play. I thus believe it is an ideal time to make an entry into the Beetaloo play.