Greenlake Energy’s Delaware Basin project in Reeves County is a clean example of how modern shale development has evolved into a manufacturing-style operation. This Wolfcamp-targeted pad development in the Phantom Field combines co-development planning with a delayed-completions development model, illustrating why projects like this can take a year or more from permit to production—even when execution is highly efficient.
Rather than a simple drill-and-complete sequence, this project shows how operators now front-load planning, batch work across stacked reservoirs and adjacent sections, and deliberately pace completions and facilities to optimize capital, logistics, and reservoir performance.
What “Co-Development” Really Looks Like in the Delaware Basin
A co-development strategy means wells are not treated as one-offs. Instead, operators design and execute multiple horizontal wells together—often across adjacent sections and stacked formations—using standardized well designs and shared infrastructure.
In this case, the subsurface data is unmistakable:
- Field: Phantom (Wolfcamp)
- Well Type: 100% horizontal
- Projected Depth: Identical across all wells at 11,500 ft
- Total Footage: ~69,000 ft drilled
- Lease: MACHO MAN 1 (all wells)
This level of uniformity signals repeatable well architecture, synchronized landing zones, and a reservoir development plan designed before the first rig arrived. It’s manufacturing, not exploration.
Why it matters: Co-development reduces geological uncertainty, improves capital efficiency, and allows operators to scale execution without reinventing the plan on every well.
A Single-Day Licensing Event Sets the Tone
All six well permits were licensed on August 6, 2024—on the same day.
That matters.
A single-day licensing batch tells us this wasn’t a rolling, opportunistic program. It was a pre-planned pad and section development, fully scoped before permits were filed. This creates flexibility later in the cycle, especially when paired with delayed completions.
Key insight: Permitting was instantaneous; execution was intentionally paced.
Drilling: Fast, Concentrated, and Highly Controlled
Drilling activity began on September 22, 2024 and wrapped up by October 29, 2024, a tight 37-day drilling window.
Operational highlights:
- Single rig: H&P 261
- Pad-style execution
- Minimal contractor variability
- Mid-October drilling center of gravity
Drilling started roughly 6–7 weeks after licensing, which is typical once pad construction, logistics, and rig scheduling are finalized.
What this signals: The operator optimized drilling speed and consistency—then intentionally paused before moving downstream in the lifecycle.
Delayed Completions: Intentional, Not Accidental
This project clearly follows a delayed-completions development model.
- First completion: June 26, 2025
- Last completion: October 4, 2025
- Completion window: ~100 days
- Lag from drilling: ~8–9 months
Rather than fracking immediately after drilling, Greenlake allowed wells to sit drilled-but-uncompleted (DUCs). This strategy is commonly used to:
- Align frac activity with capital budgets
- Optimize frac crew utilization
- Time production with facilities readiness
- Manage commodity price exposure
Critical point: Delayed completions are not a delay—they’re a control lever.
Surface Development Confirms a Pad-Centric Strategy
Surface data reinforces everything the subsurface and timing tell us:
- County: Reeves County, TX (Delaware Basin)
- Sections: Two adjacent legal sections
- Lease: Single unitized lease
- Facilities: Centralized planning implied
This is classic pad development: shared roads, shared facilities, and a surface footprint designed to support long-term production—not just drilling.
The Air Permit: The True “Go-Live” Signal
The final confirmation comes with the Facility Air Permit, received on December 22, 2025.
Placed in context:
Phase Timing Well Licensing Aug 6, 2024 Drilling Sep 22 – Oct 29, 2024 Completions Jun 26 – Oct 4, 2025 Facility Air Permit Dec 22, 2025
The air permit arrives roughly 80 days after the last completion, strongly indicating that:
- Surface facilities are installed
- Emissions sources are finalized
- The pad is production-ready
In modern shale development, air permits often serve as the final operational green light, not the first step.
Why These Projects Take a Year (or More)
From first permit to production readiness, this project spans ~16 months—and that timeline is by design.
Co-development plus delayed completions means operators are optimizing across:
- Reservoir performance
- Capital allocation
- Service intensity
- Surface infrastructure
- Regulatory sequencing
Fast drilling does not equal fast production—and in today’s shale manufacturing model, discipline beats speed.
Bottom Line
This Greenlake Energy Phantom Field development is a textbook example of how modern Delaware Basin projects are built:
- Co-development across adjacent sections
- Manufacturing-style drilling
- Delayed completions for control and optimization
- Facilities and air permitting as the final milestone
For service companies, investors, and landowners, the takeaway is simple: the real project clock doesn’t stop at drilling. In today’s shale plays, the full development cadence can easily stretch a year or more—and the data shows exactly why.
