OPERATING RESULTS
Oil production averaged 291,000 barrels per day in the second quarter, exceeding midpoint guidance by 3,000 barrels per day. This better-than-forecasted volume performance was driven by strong well productivity from the company’s Delaware Basin operations.
Devon’s capital program in the second quarter averaged 15 operated drilling rigs and five completion crews. This level of activity resulted in a total capital spend of $509 million in the quarter, or 9 percent below guidance. This positive variance was attributable to efficiency gains and purchasing power synergies realized in the Delaware Basin.
With activity focused on developing higher-margin production opportunities, oil and liquids sales reached 91 percent of Devon’s oil, gas and NGL sales in the quarter. This exposure to higher-value production, coupled with lower lease operating expenses, expanded the company’s field-level cash margin to $31.79 per Boe. This represents a 10 percent increase quarter over quarter.
The capture of merger synergies improved Devon’s corporate cost structure by 27 percent year-over-year, on a pro forma basis. This performance was driven by lower personnel expenses and reduced financing costs from the company’s ongoing debt-reduction program. Devon expects its merger cost savings to drive $600 million in annual cash flow improvements by year-end 2021.
ASSET-LEVEL HIGHLIGHTS
Delaware Basin: Production averaged 358,000 Boe per day (53 percent oil). This result represents a 22 percent increase in oil production year over year, on a pro forma basis. The company’s strong oil growth was driven by 88 new wells that achieved first production in the quarter across the company’s 400,000 net acre position in New Mexico and Texas.
Capital activity for the quarter was headlined by several large development pads at the company’s Cotton Draw and Stateline leasehold. Initial 30-day rates from this subset of 33 wells averaged 3,300 Boe per day, with per well recoveries estimated to exceed 1.5 million oil-equivalent barrels. In addition to the strong well productivity, completed well costs in the Delaware Basin declined to $543 per lateral foot, a 12 percent reduction compared to the previous year.
Another key operational highlight was the significant improvement in field-level operating costs, which declined 7 percent year-over-year to $5.97 per Boe. This cost performance, combined with higher commodity pricing, expanded field-level margins to $33.79 per Boe in the quarter. This improvement represents more than a two-fold increase in per-unit margin compared to full-year 2020 results.
Anadarko Basin: Production averaged 80,000 Boe per day in the quarter, of which 54 percent was liquids. In the second quarter, Devon brought online 6 legacy Meramec wells from its uncompleted inventory that averaged 30-day rates of 1,800 Boe per day. Additionally, the company continued to progress its $100 million joint venture drilling carry with Dow by spudding 16 new wells in the first half of 2021. Overall, Devon plans to drill up to 30 wells with its Dow partnership this year, with first production from this carry-enhanced activity expected in the second half of the year.
Williston Basin: Production averaged 66,000 Boe per day (70 percent oil). Second-quarter results were highlighted by 13 high-rate development wells brought online, driving an 8 percent production increase quarter over quarter. The Patricia Kelly 2-1HA, a two-mile lateral, achieved the highest 30-day rate reaching 4,200 Boe per day (85 percent oil). With a capital program tailored to mitigate production declines and optimize margins, this asset is projected to generate nearly $700 million of free cash flow this year at current pricing.
Eagle Ford: Production averaged 37,000 Boe per day, a 21 percent increase from the prior quarter. The increase in production was attributable to 21 new wells that achieved peak rates in the second quarter. This low-risk development activity resulted in average 30-day production rates of 2,300 Boe per day. Completed well costs for these wells averaged $4.7 million per well. With operational continuity reestablished, the company plans to maintain production with a two-rig drilling program for the remainder of 2021.
Powder River Basin: Production averaged 22,000 Boe per day, with oil reaching 73 percent of the product mix. The company did not bring online any new wells in the second quarter. Devon’s operational focus for the remainder of 2021 is to advance its understanding of the emerging Niobrara oil resource opportunity and optimize base production.
2