Eagle Ford, Niobrara shales big new draws

摘要

Houston-To hear Wall Street talk, this year's hottest US upstream plays likely will be oil and liquids-juicy fields that are now in the early-to-middle leasing and testing phases and provide abundant deal-making opportunities. With oil at a robust $90/b, crude plays should continue to charm oil companies, who are also likely to push the boundaries of more established fields where activity is already bustling, analysts said last week. Top picks for the most likely heated-up 2011 activity are the emerging Niobrara Shale in Colorado/Wyoming and the Eagle Ford Shale in south Texas, where activity is poised for a big liftoff this year.