According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) assessment of world shale gas resources, Mexico has an estimated 545 Tcf of technically recoverable shale gas resources–the sixth largest of any country examined in the study.

 

Most of Mexico's shale gas resources are in the northeast and east-central regions of the country. The Burgos Basin, which accounts for the majority of Mexico's technically recoverable shale gas resources and parts of the Eagle Ford shale play are considered to be Mexico's most promising prospect and a prolific source of natural gas production.

 

The Eagle Ford Formation extends into northern Mexico's Burgos Basin where it is known as the Boquillas Formation, and has an average thickness of 200 meters. Total organic content (TOC) is estimated to average 5%. Technically recoverable hydrocarbons are estimated to be 343 trillion cubic feet of shale gas and 6.3 billion barrels of tight oil.

 

The national oil company Pemex first began exploring in 2010-2011. Pemex has an exploration program in progress until 2015.In April 2013, Pemex started producing the nation's first shale gas well, just south of the US border. The well was completed in the equivalent of the Eagle Ford Formation.