Area Drilling

June 23, 2003
American Oil & Gas Inc., Casper, Wyo., said economic incentives and drilling and production techniques could make it possible to exploit nonproducing West Rozel heavy oil field 50 miles northwest of Salt Lake City.

Utah

American Oil & Gas Inc., Casper, Wyo., said economic incentives and drilling and production techniques could make it possible to exploit nonproducing West Rozel heavy oil field 50 miles northwest of Salt Lake City.

The company and partner Tower/ North Finn bid successfully for two state leases that total 5,120 acres in eastern Box Elder County. The leases cover a large accumulation of heavy oil at 2,250 ft, American said. Although oil seeps were known in the area as early as 1904, the former Amoco Production Co. discovered West Rozel field in 23-8n-8w amid a 13-well offshore exploration program in the Great Salt Lake in 1978-81. American said the West Rozel-2 well flowed as much as 90 bbl/hr of oil from a Pliocene basalt with an oil column as thick as 290 ft.

Original oil in place was estimated at as much as 100 million bbl in the water drive reservoir. Other sources describe the crude as 4-9° gravity with 12% sulfur, pour point 75° F., and viscosity of 3,000-4,000 cp at 140°