Arizona
A bill introduced in mid-January would amend state law to restrict publication by the Arizona Geological Survey of bulletins, circulars, maps, and other accounts of the results of its geological research.
The bill would lengthen to as long as 4 years from the present 6 months the confidentiality period covering logs and other records from wells in "unproven territory." It would give entities with direct economic interests "a reasonable opportunity for comment before publication" and prohibit the state geologist or designee from inspecting wells.
The measure would prevent publication of nonconfidential data, the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission and Arizona Geological Survey said.
Louisiana
Southwestern Energy Co., Fayetteville, Ark., plans to start production in February from an exploratory well in Assumption Parish.
The 1 Dugas & LeBlanc, in 4-13s-13e, near Bayou St. Vincent field, cut a combined 102 ft of net pay in three sand intervals between 14,400-856 ft in Lower Miocene Planulina.
The lowermost Planulina 4 sand interval flowed 8.7 MMcfd of gas on a 14/64 in. choke with 7,260 psi FTP plus 300 b/d of condensate. The well is on the internally-generated Gloria prospect.
Texas Gulf Coast
Vintage Petroleum Inc., Tulsa, Okla., was spudding a second exploratory well in December in the Cedar Point area in the Trinity Bay portion of Galveston Bay.
The 1 USX Limonite Unit will go to 10,900 ft or Lower Vicksburg.
It follows completion of the onshore 1 USX Hematite Unit, which flowed 700 b/d of oil and 11.5 MMcfd of gas from Vicksburg near 11,000 ft.
Vintage is acquiring 22 sq miles of 3D seismic data in Trinity Bay.
Wyoming
Burlington Resources Inc. hoped to spud this month the 6-27 Bighorn, fifth deep test in Madden field, Fremont County, in the Wind River basin.
The company in December finished drilling its fourth deep test, 5-6 Bighorn. Logs indicate it cut 196 ft of net pay in 279 ft of Mississippian Madison dolomite. The well was drilled to TD 25,190 ft in a record 300 days, 40% faster than Bighorn 4-36, TD 24,600 ft.
Tests and a reserve assessment were set for this month. Madison gross reserves were 2 bcf before drilling Bighorn 5-6.
Burlington said 5-6 reservoir thickness and quality are similar to that in the first three Madison wells, each of which is capable of producing as much as 50 MMcfd of gas.
This well extended downdip by an additional 210 ft the lowest previously known gas in Madison, delineated in Bighorn 4-36. The 6-27 will be drilled 600 ft downdip from the 5-6 to extend the known reservoir limit and prove more downdip reserves.
Burlington said 5-6 Bighorn projected drilling, completion, and equipment savings are anticipated to be almost $10 million or 24% less compared with the Bighorn 4-36.
Working interests are Burlington 50.6%, W.A. Moncrief Jr. 36.1%, and North Central Oil Corp. 13.3%.