Carrizo Oil & Gas Inc., Houston, recently started production from its first multiple-geological-bench downspacing pilot, consisting of 8 wells, in the company's Bringelson Ranch area in Weld County, Colo.
The Niobrara pilot tested both B-A-B and B-B-B lateral orientations spaced 300 ft apart, equating to 40-acre spacing. The wells were drilled with an average effective lateral of 4,000 ft and completed with an average of 14 frac stages. The average peak rate from the 8 wells was 1,021 boe/d, 89% of which was oil.
Carrizo says this compares favorably to its current Area 1 type curve, which assumes an average IP rate of 800 boe/d, 80% of which is oil. The five B bench wells had a peak rate of 957 boe/d, 89% of which was oil, while the three A bench wells had a peak rate of 1,127 boe/d, 88% of which was oil.
One of the A Bench wells, the Bringelson Ranch 6-20, had a peak 24-hour flowing rate of 1,633 boe/d, 87% of which was oil, the strongest peak rate to date from the company's Niobrara program.
In its Hemberger area in Weld County, the company is drilling its second 40-acre B-A-B downspacing pilot. Plans call for the pilot include three wells in the B bench and two wells in the A bench, with the laterals spaced 300 ft apart.
Carrizo operates the Bringelson Ranch wells with 29% interest, and the Hemberger wells with 26% interest. The company formed a Niobrara joint venture with China’s Haimo Oil & Gas LLC in 2012 (OGJ Online, Oct. 26, 2012).
In the Utica, meanwhile, a spudder rig has arrived at Carrizo's second well in the basin, the Brown 1H in Guernsey County, Ohio, and the company expects drilling to commence shortly.
Carrizo plans to drill the top hole with the spudder rig and bring in a larger rig to drill the horizontal section next month. The well will be drilled with an effective lateral of 6,280 ft and completed with 26 frac stages.
Carrizo operates the Brown 1H well with 50% interest. The company plans to keep both the spudder and larger rig active for the remainder of the year.