See Full Site
Subscribe NOW!!
First Quarter (1Q) Update | Top Story

Gulfport Touts Super Long Lateral and Strategic Pivot To Gas Asset

Wednesday,June 11,2025
Gulfport Energy Corporation kicked off 2025 with a quarter of operational precision, pricing strength, and clear strategic intent — setting the stage for a transformative year ahead. From record-setting completions to a confident pivot toward dry gas, Q1 marked Gulfport's emergence as one of the most agile and returns-focused players in the gas-weighted E&P universe.

Record-Setting Efficiency and Lateral Lengths Define the Quarter

In the core Utica and Marcellus plays, Gulfport pushed the technical frontier:

  • 15,000 feet: The average lateral length on wells turned to sales in Q1 — among the longest in Appalachia.

  • 105.5 hours: A company record for continuous pumping on a single pad, achieved in April, underscoring its completions team's operational consistency and logistics execution.

  • +28%: Drilling speed increased nearly a third over 2024’s average, allowing faster capital deployment with fewer rig days.

This operational excellence wasn’t confined to one region — it spanned Gulfport's footprint. While SCOOP activity remained measured, it still contributed completions with laterals of 11,500 feet, showing continued technical proficiency.

Financial Discipline Meets Strong Gas Realizations

Despite a front-loaded capital program in Q1, Gulfport delivered $36.6 million in adjusted free cash flow and reaffirmed its full-year 2025 guidance, even while repurchasing $60 million in stock at an average price of $176.13.

Key financial results

 

Standout: Gulfport’s realized natural gas price of $4.11/Mcf — achieved through premium basin exposure and takeaway strategy — stands out in a sector still grappling with regional basis pressure. This pricing power translated to robust EBITDA margins.

Strategic Shift: Betting on Dry Gas

A key decision in Q1 was Gulfport’s plan to reallocate capital toward dry gas Utica development in late 2025. The rationale is simple:

  • Improved 2026 economics: High-return locations positioned to benefit from recovering gas prices.

  • Operational optionality: Gulfport can shift activity rapidly based on market signals — a strategic advantage not all peers possess.

  • Portfolio balance: The move reinforces the core Utica asset base while maintaining optional exposure to the SCOOP.

“We are reaffirming our full-year guidance and these adjustments highlight the optionality within our asset base as well as the Company’s flexibility to be dynamically responsive,” noted CEO John Reinhart.

What Stands Out?

  • Gas Premiums: A $0.45/Mcf uplift to Henry Hub in a congested basin is a rare advantage — showcasing Gulfport’s infrastructure access and marketing strength.

  • 14% Growth in Liquids Production YoY: Underscoring increasing balance in the production mix and margin enhancement.

  • 15,000 ft Laterals: Among the longest in Appalachia, suggesting longer-term productivity improvements and EUR uplift.

  • Operational Records: Continuous pumping hours, drilling speed, and lateral lengths — all reflect a mature well factory model with room for scale.

 



In Other Exclusives / Features news

STACK News

Utica Shale News

BACK TO TOP