Goodrich ramps up Tuscaloosa activity

Aug. 13, 2014
Goodrich Petroleum Corp. is moving forward with an aggressive drilling program in the emerging Tuscaloosa Marine shale (TMS) in Louisiana and Mississippi after its latest wells drilled in the formation yielded initial production rates above 1,000 boe/d.

Goodrich Petroleum Corp. is moving forward with an aggressive drilling program in the emerging Tuscaloosa Marine shale (TMS) in Louisiana and Mississippi after its latest wells drilled in the formation yielded initial production rates above 1,000 boe/d.

The C.H. Lewis 30-19H No. 1 well in Amite County, Miss., achieved a peak, 24-hr initial production rate of 1,450 boe/d, comprising 1,387 b/d of oil and 377 Mcfd of gas. The well flowed on a 16/64-in. choke and was completed with 26 frac stages. The lateral is 6,600 ft long.

The C.H. Lewis well was drilled into the lower portion of the TMS below an area known as the rubble zone, which is characterized by natural fractures. Goodrich does not plan to land any more wells above the rubble zone this year after it experienced completion difficulties while drilling out the frac plugs on three wells.

The completion difficulties in the upper portion of the TMS were attributed to its high clay content (UOGR, May-June 2014, p.18).

Goodrich holds more than 300,000 net acres in the TMS and is poised to be one of the most active operators in the play this year.

The company has earmarked $225-300 million for the formation, or 70-80% of its capital spending budget. Plans call for drilling 24-32 gross wells.

Elsewhere in Amite County, Goodrich has fraced, drilled out the frac plugs, and commenced flowback on its Nunnery 12-1H No. 1 well. Results were expected by the end of June. The Nunnery well was completed with 22 frac stages in a 6,000 ft lateral.

The company was also preparing to begin hydraulic fracturing on its Beech Grove 94H No. 1 well in East Feliciana Parish, La. Andrew Coleman, an analyst with Raymond James & Associates, said the well is located on acreage acquired last year from Devon Energy Corp.

"That Beech Grove well will be very important as it's located on the Devon acquired acreage in east Feliciana Parish, La., where no other successful wells are located," Coleman wrote in a note to investors.

Drilling was also under way at the SLC Inc. 81H No. 1 well in West Feliciana Parish, La.; the Bates 25-24H No.1 and the Denkmann 33-28H No. 2 wells in Amite County; and the CMR-Foster Creek 24-13H No. 1 well in Wilkinson County, Miss.

Goodrich expects to add a fifth rig to its TMS program by the end of the year if it continues to see strong results from the play.