Exxon’s Permian Basin continues to be the backbone of its upstream growth story, with production hitting a record ~1.8 million boe/d in Q4 and management reiterating that there is “no near-term peak” for the asset. That long-run confidence isn’t abstract — it shows up clearly in how Exxon is developing individual sections on the ground. The Glasscock County, Block 35T3S, Section 40 project is a clean example of how Exxon translates corporate strategy into repeatable, scalable field execution.
Project Overview: Glasscock County, Section 40
- Play: Permian Basin – Midland Sub-Basin
- County: Glasscock County, Texas
- Block / Abstract / Section: 35T3S / 1044 / Section 40
- Total Wells: 17
All permits and wells are fully concentrated within a single survey section, eliminating surface dispersion and enabling a controlled, pad-based manufacturing layout. Lease naming (BRUNSON 40A–40P) follows a structured alpha sequence, signaling intentional pad slotting rather than opportunistic permitting.
Applying a 50-meter surface clustering rule identifies four discrete pads, each supporting 4–5 wells, confirming a multi-pad development unit rather than a single mega-pad or scattered single-well sites.
Well Design & Sub-Surface Intent
Subsurface design is equally disciplined:
- Field: Spraberry (Trend Area) – Primary Field
- Drilling Operation: 100% Horizontal
- Substance: Oil or Gas Well
- Projected Depth:
- Min / Max / Avg: ~10,046 ft
- Total projected footage: ~170,800 ft
Every well targets the same depth and field, with zero variance across the section. That uniformity indicates a single-zone Spraberry development, not stacked or co-developed benches. This is deliberate: Exxon is prioritizing repeatability, recovery optimization, and technology reuse over near-term experimentation.
This design philosophy aligns directly with Exxon’s emphasis on cube-level optimization and its growing toolkit of 40+ stackable technologies, including lightweight proppant deployment, which management expects to reach ~50% of new wells.
Cadence & Project Timeline Framework
Activity data shows a measured execution pace:
- First Activity Date: February 2025
- Last Activity Date: February 2026
- Execution Window: ~12 months
- Not Yet Drilled Inventory: 14 wells
Rather than running continuous, high-intensity drilling, Exxon appears to be sequencing activity by pad and phase. Drilled wells are clustered into distinct campaigns, while a meaningful portion of inventory remains undrilled, preserving flexibility around capital timing, infrastructure readiness, and technology rollout.
This cadence mirrors Exxon’s own guidance: quarterly volumes may look uneven, but annual production grows steadily, driven by long-cycle value rather than quarter-to-quarter optics.
Why Section 40 Matters
Section 40 is not a one-off project — it’s a template. Tightly clustered pads, identical well designs, controlled cadence, and deferred inventory are exactly what allow Exxon to:
- Lower capital costs through manufacturing efficiency
- Apply and iterate technology at scale
- Extend recovery and value well beyond initial production
- Replicate the model across the Permian — and globally
When Exxon says the Permian remains a core growth engine beyond 2030, projects like Glasscock County, Section 40 explain how that’s possible: disciplined geometry, repeatable geology, and a cadence built for endurance, not speed.
