California
Aera Energy LLC, Bakersfield, was spudding a wildcat in search of gas and condensate in the Temblor formation at 20,000 ft in the San Joaquin basin.
The 1 Northwest Lost Hills drillsite in 22-25s-20e, Kern County, is 5 miles northwest of the Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (formerly Berkley) group's 1 East Lost Hills discovery, which has been producing gas since February 2001.
Aera and Ivanhoe Energy Inc., Vancouver, BC, hold a 6,300-acre block. The well's targets are the Button Bed, Agua, Phacoides, and Oceanic sand members of Temblor, Ivanhoe said.
Elsewhere, Ivanhoe said wildcats drilled on the Oro Fino prospect in San Luis Obispo County and the Magic Mountain prospect in Los Angeles County found noncommercial quantities of hydrocarbons and were abandoned.
New York
The state made as much as $75,000/project available for efforts designed to expand investment in the state by identifying new exploration targets.
Proposals are due Sept. 19. Projects may include characterization, prospect development, or geologic research efforts aimed at black shales, reefs, fractured carbonates, hydrothermal dolomites, the Beekmantown, Herkimer/Oneida, and Cambrian sandstones, oil-bearing Devonian sands, or other worthy ideas.
The New York State Energy Research & Development Authority, Albany, also asked for proposals by Oct. 2 for the development of a technology-based well characterization system for the state's 15,000 active and shut-in wells.
Virginia
Consol Energy Inc., Pittsburgh, is to acquire Conoco Inc.'s interests in some coalbed methane production and gathering systems in southwestern Virginia, subject to approvals.
The deal would boost Consol's proved gas reserves to more than 1 tcf.
Consol would acquire Conoco's 50% stake in the jointly-owned Pocahontas Gas Partnership and its 25% interest in Cardinal States Gathering Co., becoming sole owner of both.
PGP produces 54 MMcfd. Consol units operate the wells and the mines from which the gas is extracted. PGP has 740 bcf of proved developed and undeveloped coalbed methane reserves.
CSGC operates two gathering lines totaling 80 miles that connect with Columbia Gas Transmission.
Units of RWE-DEA AG, Hamburg, own 94% of Consol and DuPont Energy owns 6%.