G. Alan Petzet
Exploration Editor
Independent operators are developing multizone potential in West Feliciana Parish, La., just south of the Mississippi line.
The two most recent completions appear to be the first wells to produce from Miocene sands in the parish.
Todd Bertolet, Natchez, Miss., operates the two dry gas wells about 1 3/8 miles south of the state line.
Another operator has begun development around an Eocene Wilcox discovery in a separate field.
Previous production in the general area has come from Upper Cretaceous Lower Tuscaloosa below 14,000 ft, and even deeper drilling to Tuscaloosa is under way.
One well in the area produced oil from a chalk zone at nearly 13,000 ft for a short time in 1990, and Oligocene Frio gas production abounds in several surrounding counties and parishes.
RANK MIOCENE DISCOVERIES
Bertolet's 1 Meeks, in irregular section 46-1s-1w, flowed gas at the rate of 400 Mcfd for 1 hr through an 8/64 in. choke with 1,060 psi flowing tubing pressure from Miocene perforations at 3,103-04 ft. Total depth is 5,208 ft.
About 3/4 mile south of that well, Bertolet and Radzewicz Exploration & Drilling Corp., Jackson, Miss., 1 Walker, in irregular section 78-1s-1w, flowed gas at the rate of 375 Mcfd for 1 hr through an 8/64 in. choke with 1,170 psi flowing tubing pressure from perforations at 3,281-83 ft in a different Miocene sand. Total depth is 3,970 ft.
The wells have been designated as Northeast Spillman field.
In East Feliciana Parish about 8 miles east of Bertolet's wells, Arkla Exploration Co. is said to have encountered gas in Miocene at 1 Howell Estate, in 62-2s-1e. A second well has been permitted nearby.
Arkla has had considerable recent success with Oligocene Frio gas exploration and development in southern Mississippi and Louisiana (OGJ, Aug. 27, 1990, p. 53).
MIOCENE RESERVOIR
Bertolet's wells are about 2,000 ft from a Mid-Louisiana Gas Co. pipeline and were scheduled to be turned to sales Dec. 28, 1990.
The operator believes deliverability will be higher than the flow rates that were recorded through 8/64 in. chokes on the 1 hr tests.
Only the top few feet of Miocene were perforated in an attempt to delay water coning and sand problems, and perforation was with 4 shots/ft instead of the 8 shots/ft some operators use.
Permeability is 2-6 darcies, and porosity is 30-36%.
An engineering study indicated reserves might be in the neighborhood of 1.3 bcf/well.
Meason Operating Co., Natchez, will operate the properties, Southeastern Oil Review, Jackson, Miss., reports.
The two wells are about 7 miles southeast of Frio and Tuscaloosa production in Ashwood field, Wilkinson County, Miss.
SPILLMAN FIELD EXPANDS
The two wells are also less than 2 miles northeast of Spillman field, opened in 1989 and still expanding.
Griffin & Griffin Oil Co., Jackson, Miss., opened the field at 1 Spillman, in irregular section 47-1s-1w. It flowed 1.65 MMcfd of gas and 225 b/d of 48 gravity oil from Lower Tuscaloosa perforations at 13,928-932 ft.
Griffin & Griffin early in 1990 completed an east offset, 2 Spillman, in the same section. It flowed 352 b/d of 43.2 gravity oil from a chalk formation at 12,960-990 ft and is said to have produced only a short time.
The same operator in November drilled 1 Georgia Pacific, in 80-1s-2w, as a 14,200 ft Tuscaloosa test in Spillman field. Completion hadn't been reported as of late December 1990.
It staked 3 Spillman, in 47-1s-2w, as a 9,600 ft Wilcox test in Spillman field. This well, an apparent new pay discovery, is said to be producing about 40 b/d of oil from Wilcox.
E.A. Epstein Jr., a South Laguna, Calif., operator with an office in Natchez, Miss., drilled 1 Sherwood et al., in 47-1 s-2w, in October and November to 14,145 ft. The same operator in November staked 2 Sherwood et al., in 70-1s-2w, as a Spillman field development well. Projected depth is 15,500 ft or Tuscaloosa.
Bertolet's completions and Spillman field are 10-12 miles northeast of Lake Rosemound field, opened by Texaco Inc. in 1985.
The Lake Rosemound field discovery well, 1 Lloyd Lindsey et al., in 57-1s-3w, flowed 4.3 MMcfd of gas and 567 b/d of condensate from Cretaceous Lower Tuscaloosa perforations at 14,208-218 ft.
Two other Lower Tuscaloosa wells, 1 Babers and 2 Lindsey, have been completed since the discovery well.
Copyright 1991 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
