Eagle Ford Shale Oil & Gas Production
The Eagle Ford Shale produces about 1.10 million barrels of crude oil a day and 6.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day (2025). Running across South Texas, the Eagle Ford is unusual for having distinct oil, wet-gas and dry-gas windows in bands across the same play — and it sits close enough to Gulf Coast refineries and export docks that its barrels reach the coast with little inland transport.
Key Figures
| Measure | Value | As of / source |
|---|---|---|
| Crude oil output (#3 of tracked US basins) | 1.10 Mb/d | 2025 · EIA DPR |
| Natural gas output (#4 of tracked US basins) | 6.5 Bcf/d | 2025 · EIA DPR |
| Active rigs (Eagle Ford) | 49 (unchanged wk) | 2026-10-09 · Baker Hughes · 8% of US rigs |
| Well breakeven — Eagle Ford (new well) | $64/bbl | 2025 · Dallas Fed Energy Survey |
| Well breakeven — Eagle Ford (existing well) | $41/bbl | 2025 · Dallas Fed Energy Survey |
| Location | South Texas, roughly San Antonio to the Mexican border | EIA |
| Windows | Oil, condensate/wet-gas and dry-gas bands running roughly parallel across the play | EIA |
| Logistics edge | Short pipeline runs to Gulf Coast refineries and export terminals compared with inland basins | EIA |
Every major US shale basin compared side by side, plus the breakeven-vs-WTI chart, decline curves and water use: how fracking works.
A Play With Three Windows
Oil, wet gas and dry gas in one basin
- Unlike single-product basins, the Eagle Ford has an oil-rich window in the northwest, a wet-gas (condensate) band in the middle, and a dry-gas window to the southeast.
- That lets operators target oil or gas depending on which is trading richer, without leaving the play.
- Its dry-gas window feeds gas demand alongside the larger Haynesville, though the Eagle Ford is best known for its oil output.
Why proximity to the coast matters
- Being close to Corpus Christi and other Gulf Coast export terminals keeps transport costs low relative to landlocked basins like the Bakken.
- That proximity is part of why the Eagle Ford was one of the first shale plays developed for export-oriented light, sweet crude.
Major Producers in the Eagle Ford Shale
| Company | Type | Ownership | Ticker |
|---|---|---|---|
| BP | Integrated major | Publicly traded; no controlling shareholder. | BP |
| ConocoPhillips | Integrated major | Publicly traded; no controlling shareholder. | COP |
| TotalEnergies | Integrated major | Publicly traded; no controlling shareholder. | TTE |
| Crescent Energy | Independent producer (public) | Publicly traded. | CRGY |
| Devon Energy | Independent producer (public) | Publicly traded; former Devon holders own about 54% and former Coterra holders about 46% of the combined company. | DVN |
| EOG Resources | Independent producer (public) | Publicly traded; no controlling shareholder. | EOG |
| Murphy Oil | Independent producer (public) | Publicly traded. | MUR |
| SM Energy | Independent producer (public) | Publicly traded. | SM |
| Kimbell Royalty Partners | Mineral & royalty company | Publicly traded limited partnership. | KRP |
Companies with a material producing position in this basin, from the oil company directory (hand-curated from company filings; positions change with deals, so check the latest filing before relying on it). It is not a production ranking.
Eagle Ford Shale FAQ
How many rigs are drilling in the Eagle Ford Shale?
Baker Hughes counted 49 active rigs in Eagle Ford Shale (Eagle Ford) in the week of Oct 9, unchanged week on week and 8% of the 603 active US rigs.
Who are the biggest operators in the Eagle Ford Shale?
Companies in this site's directory with material producing positions in the Eagle Ford Shale include BP, ConocoPhillips, TotalEnergies, Crescent Energy, Devon Energy, EOG Resources (some hold non-operated interests). Ownership and the other basins each one works are in the producer table above and in the oil company directory.
How much oil does the Eagle Ford Shale produce?
The Eagle Ford Shale produced about 1.10 million barrels of crude oil a day in 2025, ranking #3 among the major US shale basins tracked here (EIA DPR). Oil, wet gas and dry gas windows run in bands across the play.
How much natural gas does the Eagle Ford Shale produce?
The Eagle Ford Shale produced about 6.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day in 2025 (EIA DPR). Dry-gas window in the south of the play.
What makes the Eagle Ford different from other shale basins?
It has three distinct windows — oil, wet gas and dry gas — running in bands across the same play, so operators can target whichever product is more valuable without leaving the Eagle Ford. Its proximity to Gulf Coast refineries and export terminals also keeps transport costs lower than more inland basins.