Leading Bakken oil producer, Continental Resources, Inc. (CLR) announced a revised green field capital expenditure budget of $2.7 billion for 2015. Per company estimates, capital expansion would lead to 16% to 20% production growth in 2015 year over year.
The revision stems from lower commodity prices, targeting cash flow neutrality by mid-year 2015. This budget also focuses on maintaining financial flexibility and a strong balance sheet while continuing to grow production in core Bakken and South Central Oklahoma Oil Province (SCOOP) plays.
Going forward, the company plans to decrease its current average operated rig count from approximately 50 to 34 by the end of first quarter 2015 and average approximately 31 operated rigs for full-year 2015. Allocation of operated rigs includes 16 in the SCOOP Woodford/Springer plays, 11 in North Dakota Bakken and four in Northwest Cana.
The revised 2015 budget is based on completing 81 net wells for the SCOOP Woodford/Springer plays with no change to previous estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) targets. In the Bakken, the company now expects to complete 188 net wells focused primarily on its core acreage, targeting an increased average EUR of 800,000 barrels of oil equivalent per well. In the Northwest Cana play and other areas, the company plans to complete 11 net wells. Completed well cost estimates are expected to average at least 15% below the 2014 averages as service costs adjust to lower commodity prices.
Oklahoma City-based Continental Resources is an independent exploration and production company focused on the Bakken, Cana and Niobrara shale plays. It has leases on nearly 1.1 million acres in the Bakken Shale region.
The company operates in the North, South and Eastern regions of the U.S. Its North region – north of Kansas and west of the Mississippi river – comprises North Dakota Bakken, Montana Bakken, the Red River units and the Niobrara play in Colorado and Wyoming. The first two hold the maximum promise for Continental Resources.
The Southern region includes Kansas and all properties south of Kansas and west of the Mississippi river, and comprises the Anadarko Woodford and Arkoma Woodford plays in Oklahoma.
Continental Resources currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Investors interested in the oil and gas sector could consider better-ranked stocks like Spectra Energy Partners, LP (SEP), Seadrill Partners LLC (SDLP) and Sandridge Mississippian Trust II (SDR). Each of these stocks carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
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