Cretaceous find due small frac at Nordegg, Alta.

March 31, 2011
A vertical Cretaceous gas-condensate discovery in the Alberta foothills will be given a small frac job in an attempt to improve its unstimulated flow rate, said Manitok Energy Inc., Calgary.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Mar. 31
-- A vertical Cretaceous gas-condensate discovery in the Alberta foothills will be given a small frac job in an attempt to improve its unstimulated flow rate, said Manitok Energy Inc., Calgary.

Manitok said the Stolberg well stabilized at 4 MMcfd of liquids-rich natural gas and 75 b/d of 52° gravity condensate, natural, on a 24-hr flow test earlier this month.

In January, Manitok projected the well to 3,200 m at an expected cost of $5.1 million. It described the prospect as a “highly structured, conventional Cretaceous reservoir that has not been exploited in the Stolberg region of the foothills. The targeted reservoir has been logged and drillstem tested in an offsetting deeper well within 100 m of the planned bottomhole location of this well.” That well’s DST yielded oil and gas-condensate.

After drilling and testing its Stolberg well and drawing inferences from its own and a consultant’s analysis, Manitok found that normal course effects of drilling or completion impeded the flow rate. It also said the gas stream has a theoretical natural gas liquids yield of 60 bbl/MMcf in addition to the condensate.

Manitok has a 75% working interest in the well and Rimfire Energy Inc., a private Calgary independent, has 25%. Manitok expects the well to be on production in the third quarter of 2011, when it plans to follow with three vertical wells each targeting as many as four Cretaceous reservoirs.

The well topped the Cretaceous reservoir at 3,085 m measured depth, and open hole logs indicated 9-14% porosities over at least 4 m. Drill cuttings indicated good permeability and fracture development.

The well unexpectedly cut a Viking reservoir at 2,885 m MD with 6-12% porosity over 2 m. Given the strong Cretaceous results, Manitok decided not to complete the shallower Viking zone for now.

Manitok believes it has at least five more drilling locations on its 17,195 net acres in the Stolberg area targeting conventional sweet Cretaceous reservoirs pending further technical work.

Manitok contends that the Alberta foothills offer vast opportunities to discover conventional reserves. The company has identified more than 30 potential drilling locations targeting a variety of reservoir types on its undeveloped foothills land base of 73,209 net acres that can be exploited with existing infrastructure and plant capacity.