Lodgepole reef discovery flows 1,800 b/d in North Dakota

Nov. 13, 2003
Petrosearch Corp., Houston, said its Guidance Petrosearch LLC subsidiary made a Mississippian Lodgepole reef oil discovery at a re-entry well in Stark County, ND.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Nov. 13 -- Petrosearch Corp., Houston, said its Guidance Petrosearch LLC subsidiary made a Mississippian Lodgepole reef oil discovery at a re-entry well in Stark County, ND.

The Gruman 18-1 well, in 18-139n-96w a few miles south of Dickinson, initially flowed at a rate of 1,800 b/d on a 30/64 in. choke from a 20-ft interval at 9,800 ft. It is a former dry hole drilled by Conoco Inc. just east of Eland (Lodgepole) oil field.

The company hopes to spud a new wildcat in December and another by March 2004 at undisclosed locations as the first of 30 identified prospects in the Williston basin.

Guidance Petrosearch holds 85% working interest in the well. Ox Bow Energy LLC and Oil for America also hold working interests. Capital investment in the first well will be recovered in 60 days at the present production rate, said Dan Denton, president, Petrosearch Operating Co.

Oil for America's AII remote sensing analysis, used on reefs and Waulsortian mounds in several basins, indicated the well's potential (OGJ, May 29, 2000, p. 33).

The first discovery near Dickinson came in early 1993, and a string of nearby discoveries followed. Operators later said that the seismic exploration model used in the Dickinson area didn't apply outside that area (OGJ, May 26, 1997, p. 18).

Further Gruman test results and reserve estimates will be released as available, Petrosearch said.