Uinta, Wind River gas exploration buoys Barrett

Nov. 28, 2005
Bill Barrett Corp., Denver, expressed encouragement at important gas well test results in the Rocky Mountain Uinta and Wind River basins.

Bill Barrett Corp., Denver, expressed encouragement at important gas well test results in the Rocky Mountain Uinta and Wind River basins.

Initial flow rate is 11.4 MMcfd of gas from Barrett’s 100% owned Peter’s Point 6-7D well, a wildcat drilled into an estimated 4,800-acre structural closure in the West Tavaputs plateau area of the Uinta basin 35 miles east-northeast of Price, Utah.

The company completed the well in the Jurassic Navajo and Entrada and Cretaceous Dakota formations (OGJ, Mar. 21, 2005, p. 32). The deeper Triassic Wingate formation was completed as nonproductive, but several shallower potential pay zones are behind pipe. TD is 15,349 ft.

Continued production will be needed to define the size of the West Tavaputs deep potential, the company said.

Behind pipe are the shallow Price River (Mesaverde), Wasatch, and North Horn formations that Barrett is developing in the area.

“The Navajo and Entrada reservoirs are characteristically widespread and may cover the entire area of the structural closure. The company believes that it has not yet drilled the top of the structural closure,” Barrett said.

The 2005 development program consists of 15 wells drilled, 3 recompleted wells, and 4 wells from 2004 completed in 2005. Ten of the wells have been completed at rates of 1 to 4.6 MMcfd, and 12 others are in completion. Barrett will monitor declines to determine recoverable volumes and production profiles.

Meanwhile, in the Wyoming Wind River basin, deep potential along the Waltman arch continues to encourage Barrett.

The exploratory Bullfrog 14-18 well averaged 20.1 MMcfed in October. Cave Gulch 1-29, stimulated in Cretaceous Muddy, averaged 15.1 MMcfed for the month. The wells had first sales in mid-July and late June 2005, respectively.

Barrett is restimulating the Muddy at Cave Gulch 5-30 and recognizes multiple deep Muddy and Frontier locations in the Bullfrog and Cave Gulch areas. It is also drilling a well to Cretaceous Lance.