Morocco
Shell Prospecting Africa BV will start negotiations with Onarep to obtain exploration permits on the Cap Ghir Haute Mer and Anza Haute Mer areas off Morocco. Shell held reconnaissance permits on the areas that covered 8,445 sq km and 5,000 sq km, respectively.
Tri-Valley Oil & Gas Co., Bakersfield, is pursuing its Ekho deep exploration project on 261 sq miles in the southern San Joaquin basin east of Lost Hills (OGJ Apr. 12, 1999, p. 75).
California
Main targets are Vedder and Upper Phacoides sandstones, part of the Lower Miocene Temblor formation at an estimated 18,000 ft. Field activity in Kern County is to start within weeks.
Nine Canadian independents share working interests. Tri-Valley entered alliances with Systems Technology Associates, Colorado Springs, for geoscience services and Halliburton Energy Services Inc. for technical support.
Mississippi
Fina Oil & Chemical Co. and Devon Energy Corp. have established more deep Knox gas production in the Maben area of east-central Mississippi`s Black Warrior basin and are nearing a horizontal redrill there.
The companies, which are not releasing information, treated the 1 Georgia Pacific, in 5-18n-12e, Oktibbeha County (see map, OGJ, Dec. 21, 1998, p. 108). It recovered treating fluid and flowed an estimated 6 MMcfd of gas through slotted liner at 15,338-830 ft. Pre-treatment flow rate was 436 Mcfd.
This gas flow rate is similar to that from Fina`s 1 Sanders, in 27-19n-12e, in February 1999, about 5 months after going on line. If the 1 Sanders has been on line continuously since February at that rate, its cumulative output would be about 1.5 bcf through June 30.
Fina by late July had drilled about two thirds of the way to projected TD of 15,700 ft at the 1 Richardson, in 35-19n-2e. Fina received approval to re-enter the Exxon 1 Fulgham, 33-19n-12e, a vertical test drilled to 21,376 ft and abandoned in 1973 with 51/2 in. liner set 1 ft off bottom. Fina plans a 700 ft lateral at 16,000 ft TVD.
Tennessee
Tengasco Inc., Knoxville, added a gas well to Swan Creek field in Hancock County.
The 4 Paul Reed, TD 5,000 ft, cut 55 ft of gas pay in Cambro-Ordovician Knox. It flowed at the rate of 1.3 MMcfd of gas on a 7/32 in. choke with 1,240 psi pressure on a 197 hr test. Schlumberger Oilfield Services calculated reserves at 9.1 bcf of gas on 160 acre spacing. The field has been under delineation for several years (OGJ, Apr. 12, 1999, p. 95).
Texas Gulf Coast
Ranger Oil Ltd., Calgary, plans more drilling in third quarter 1999 on the Hoskins Mound prospect in Brazoria County using 103 sq miles of 3D seismic data acquired in 1998.
The first well in the project to identify shallow Miocene oil and deep Frio gas prospects was a success. The 1 Welch Foundation, 15 miles northeast of Freeport, flowed 558 b/d of oil on a 16/64 in. choke with 500 psi FTP without water from about 5,814 ft. Working interests are Ranger 80% and Palaura Exploration Co., Dallas, 20%. Farmor Texaco has back-in rights. The first Frio well is to spud late this year.
