For Noble Energy, slickwater means success in the Denver-Julesburg (D-J) Basin where optimized completion designs contributed to the basin’s record liquid volume of 78,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) for third-quarter 2015 and lower well costs.

Slickwater completions are outperforming hybrid gel wells by more than 20% on average after 30 days of production and shaving about 10% off well costs for a standard lateral length, the Houston-based company reported this week. Noble said its refined completion techniques—along with longer laterals—are the driving forces behind overall production gains.

U.S. liquids production set a quarterly record for Noble, rising 10,000 bbl/d to 83,000 bbl/d, compared to a year ago. But it was not enough to offset lower commodity prices, which have resulted in lower profits for oil and gas companies. Reporting a net loss of $283 million for the quarter, Noble was no exception.

But the company’s production performance is among its bright spots.

“We're carrying that overall momentum into the fourth quarter,” Noble CEO David Stover said on a conference call Nov. 4. “We have raised fourth-quarter volumes now to range between 385,000 and 405,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.”

Assets in the D-J Basin remain golden, outperforming expectations.

In Wells Ranch, Noble said nine wells were completed with slickwater fluid and four wells used hybrid gel systems. Tests revealed a 20% production increase with the slickwater completions. In all, Wells Ranch production grew 15% above levels in second-quarter 2015.

Similar success was seen with wells in East Pony, where volumes increased 22%.

The company also lowered costs by about $400,000 per well using slickwater completions.

In addition, medium and long laterals added to production volumes. The average lateral length per well in the basin for third-quarter 2015 was 7,300 ft, with costs for long laterals averaging less than $3 million per well.

“We've continued to modify completion techniques,” Stover said. Hopes are for that success to translate to other plays such as in the Eagle Ford, where Noble picked up about 50,000 net acres and 56,000 in the Permian following its merger with Rosetta Resources in July.

Two recently drilled Eagle Ford wells included modified completion designs, Stover said, and both are performing above the 3 million-barrel type curve for the area.

“In fact, the most recent well, which is still in flowback looks to be the best well ever completed on the acreage,” Stover said.

The favorable outcome is the result of completion design concepts that were refined in the D-J and the Marcellus, added Gary Willingham, Noble’s executive vice president of operations.

But one completion design may work as well in other basins or in other areas within the same basin.

“It’s likely to be different depending on where we’re operating at any given time,” Willingham said addressing a question about the D-J Basin. “Where we’ve been focusing the slickwater completions most recently is in East Pony and Wells Ranch, which is an oilier part of the field. We haven’t really had that much activity back in the core gassy part of Wattenberg recently, so too early to say whether slickwaters might provide some benefit there in the future.”

Noble will move cautiously, opting not to swiftly make basin-wide completion changes.

Instead, executives said the company will take a measured approach, making sure desired results are repeatable before moving to other areas.

Improvement is also being seen in spud to rig release times.

Lower Eagle Ford wells averaged eight days, a 30% drop. In the Delaware Basin, Noble’s first-operated well was drilled 10 days faster than the average of prior wells on its acreage, Stover said.

“Moving forward, we have plans to continue testing enhanced completion designs, including reduced stage and cluster spacing that we’ve brought from our other onshore plays,” he added. “We anticipate a one rig program in the Eagle Ford and a one rig program in the Delaware as we exit this year.”

While slickwater has been the main contributor to lower costs and higher volumes, well design also has made an impact. Reduced stages and cluster spacing are playing a role, particularly in the Eagle Ford.

“This most recent well that we expect to be the best ever is a reduced stage and cluster spacing well,” Willingham said. “It’s roughly 2,000 pounds of sand per foot and like I said, performing very well. So we’re continuing to test a number of things, but we seem to be on the right track.”

Velda Addison can be reached at vaddison@hartenergy.com.