Chesapeake Energy Corporation provides an update on its operational activities. For the 2009 fourth quarter, Chesapeake's daily production averaged 2.618 billion cubic feet of natural gas equivalent (bcfe), an increase of 135 million cubic feet of natural gas equivalent (mmcfe), or 5%, over the 2.483 bcfe produced per day in the 2009 third quarter and an increase of 302 mmcfe, or 13%, over the 2.316 bcfe produced per day in the 2008 fourth quarter.

Adjusted for the company's voluntary production curtailments due to low natural gas prices (approximately 26 mmcfe per day during the 2009 fourth quarter), the company's volumetric production payment transactions (which combined averaged approximately 96 mmcfe per day during the 2009 fourth quarter) and the estimated impact from various divestitures (which would have averaged approximately 49 mmcfe per day during the 2009 fourth quarter), Chesapeake's sequential and year-over-year production growth rates would have been 5% and 17%, respectively, after making similar adjustments to prior quarters.

Chesapeake's 2009 fourth quarter average daily production of 2.618 bcfe consisted of 2.440 billion cubic feet of natural gas (bcf) and 29,750 barrels of oil and natural gas liquids (bbls). The company's 2009 fourth quarter production of 241 bcfe was comprised of 225 bcf (93% on a natural gas equivalent basis) and 2.7 million barrels of oil and natural gas liquids (mmbbls) (7% on a natural gas equivalent basis).

The company's daily production for the 2009 full year averaged 2.481 bcfe, an increase of 178 mmcfe, or 8%, over the 2.303 bcfe of daily production for the 2008 full year. Adjusted for the company's voluntary production curtailments due to low natural gas prices (approximately 47 mmcfe per day during the 2009 full year), the company's volumetric production payment transactions (which combined averaged approximately 157 mmcfe per day during the 2009 full year) and the estimated impact from various divestitures (which would have averaged approximately 193 mmcfe per day during the 2009 full year), Chesapeake's year-over-year daily production growth rate would have been 19%, after making similar adjustments to the 2008 full year.

Chesapeake's average daily production for the 2009 full year of 2.481 bcfe consisted of 2.287 bcf and 32,301 bbls. The company's 2009 full year production of 906 bcfe was comprised of 835 bcf (92% on a natural gas equivalent basis) and 11.8 mmbbls (8% on a natural gas equivalent basis). The 2009 full year was Chesapeake's 20th consecutive year of sequential production growth. Chesapeake anticipates delivering full-year production growth of approximately 8-10% in 2010 and 15-17% in 2011, net of property divestitures.

Tags: Chesapeake Energy Corporation