Ultra Petroleum tests Pinedale horizontal play in Wyoming

Dec. 11, 2017
Ultra Petroleum Corp. has produced 1.1 bcf of natural gas equivalent in 30 days from its Warbonnet 9-23-A-1H well, which the operator successfully completed in late October on the East Flank of Wyoming’s Pinedale anticline.

Ultra Petroleum Corp. has produced 1.1 bcf of natural gas equivalent in 30 days from its Warbonnet 9-23-A-1H well, which the operator successfully completed in late October on the East Flank of Wyoming’s Pinedale anticline.

The well targeted the Lower Lance A section with a 10,300-ft lateral. The Lance pool is a 6,000-ft section of fluvial and alluvial sedimentary rocks that are Upper Cretaceous through Tertiary in age. The region has stack pay potential in the upper Mesaverde group, Lance formation, and lower Wagon Wheel formation. Ultra says average well depths are 13,500 ft with more than 5,000 ft of pay in 16 producing intervals.

Ultra has proven production in the Lance and Mesaverde formations and reports an additional 1,600 horizontal locations in Wyoming’s Sublette County, the company said in a Dec. 5 investor day presentation.

The Warbonnet well was turned in line to sales on Nov. 1, the company said. On Nov. 15, Ultra reported flowback parameters including a gas flow rate of 38 MMcfd, a condensate flow rate of 700 b/d, and a flowing casing pressure of 3,000 psi. Since completion, the well reached a maximum 24-hr IP rate of 51 MMcfed and was flowing at a 30-day IP rate of 36 MMcfed as of early December, 7% of which was field condensate.

Ultra is drilling two additional extended horizontal wells: Warbonnet 9-23-M-1H and 9-23-A-2H. Both are planned as 2-mile lateral horizontal wells along Pinedale’s eastern flank. The WB 9-23-M-1H will test Lower Mesaverde 2,500 ft below WB 9-23-A-1H. The WB 9-23-A-2H is planned as an offset second well, testing the Lower Lance A in the same zone.

Ultra said 728 MMcfed of production in this year’s third quarter. The operator has an extensive vertical drilling program in Pinedale with nearly 5,000 locations remaining.

Ultra reported that the Warbonnet horizontal well cost $9 million. It also said recent wells suggest a return of up to 3 bcf/1,000 ft lateral with a condensate accounting for up to 10-15% of production.

Pinedale Energy Ltd., which also reported on the updated performance of the Warbonnet well, holds a 7.9% working interest in the well with Ultra holding the remainder as operator.

Contact Tayvis Dunnahoe at [email protected].