Newfoundland: Green Point shale well finds oil

June 21, 2011
Shoal Point Energy Ltd. plans to case an exploratory well in western Newfoundland and attempt to produce unconventional light oil in a thick section of fractured Green Point shale, said Canadian Imperial Venture Corp., St. John’s.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, June 21
– Shoal Point Energy Ltd. plans to case an exploratory well in western Newfoundland and attempt to produce unconventional light oil in a thick section of fractured Green Point shale, said Canadian Imperial Venture Corp., St. John’s.

Petrophysical analysis by NuTech Energy Alliance Ltd. indicates that the 3K39 nearshore well encountered a thick section of hydrocarbon shows over a gross interval between the surface casing shoe at 400 m measured depth and current drilled depth of 1,745 m. The well is on the 150,000-acre EL 1070 license.

“The analysis of the 3K-39 logs reflects NuTech's previous analyses of unconventional potential in the Green Point shales from the Shoal Point 2K-39 and Long Point M16 wells. It shows a similar thick section of hydrocarbon pay and, for the first time has enabled interpretation of an abundance of fractures throughout the borehole,” CIVC said.

About 26 m of core is being shipped to Houston for 3D image analysis, which will provide valuable information on porosity, permeability, and hydrocarbon saturations as well as images of the internal geometry of fractures. Other core-based studies including rock properties, pyrolysis, and porosity-permeability are being concluded and incorporated in the data set.

A series of open hole tests are being conducted prior to completion and stimulation to assess the natural producibility of the formation. The shows include gas chromatography, indicating the presence of liquids over roughly 70% of the drilled section, blue-white fluorescence (indicating light oil) in drill cuttings and cores, particularly after application of a solvent, and mobile, visible oil in fractured core.

Operations have been made difficult by the tectonized and fractured nature of the reservoir and therefore considerable effort and time has gone into keeping the borehole open and in good condition for coring, logging, and testing.