This statement would be true if had not included the word 'always'...
Attempts to frac a new formation fail more times than not, and dozens & dozens of wells & completions (frac-jobs) are required before operators figure out how to properly frac a new formation. In the Eagleford Shale for example, it took operators 2 years of failures on 40-50 wellbores before they finally were getting flow-rates that were economical. The Barnett Shale experienced decades of unsuccessful attempts as did the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale.
It is also possible to over-frac a particular formation, resulting in a lot of salt-water production and minimal hydrocarbon recovery.
Frac-jobs require a significant amount of capital in the form of equipment. This includes dozens of pumping units & frac-tanks. This equipment is in high demand here in the United States. It is unreasonable to think that a 3rd party completions contractor would move all of the required equipment away from a region of high demand to a region of low demand such as Belize. TECO cannot afford to purchase this equipment like they did with a wireline logging unit.
Shallow, reef-type formations like those TECO has drilled in Belize are not typically considered to be candidates for frac-jobs at this time, but perhaps the technology will be developed in the future.
For now, at least, frac-jobs are not a viable option for TECO's concessions in Belize.
AI
