Alan Petzet
Exploration Editor
Oil & Gas Journal
HOUSTON, Oct. 3 -- Three horizontal wells have located what might be one of the largest primary heavy oil discoveries in western Canada in recent years, said BlackRock Ventures Inc., Calgary.
An initial well in 13-23-83-15w5m near Seal, 45 miles east of Peace River, Alta., averaged 300 b/d of oil for 130 days, and a second well, production tested for 30 days, reached 375 b/d. A third well was being completed with encouraging results.
Oil, 11.5° gravity and 3-4% sulfur, is in the Cretaceous Bluesky formation at 625 m true vertical depth.
The company has accumulated 40,000 net acres near Seal in the last 18 months and plans to drill five more wells in the next 6 months.
Two of the three wells are about 3/4-mile apart and the other well is 6 miles southeast, implying that the company may have located two producing trends, said John L. Festival, BlackRock president. BlackRock has 100% working interest in the three wells prior to payout.
The discovery is in the Peace River Oil Sands area. It is near conventional oil and gas production and a heavy oil project operated by Shell Canada Ltd. that produces 3,000-4,000 b/d. BlackRock has applied to downspace from the current 160 acres to the equivalent of 20 acres for further horizontal drilling.
The three wells drilled so far provide the company with at least 30 development locations, said Timothy J. Kozmyk, vice-president of exploration.
