Forest Oil to operate Katy field, expand Texas holdings

Aug. 22, 2006
Forest Oil Corp., Denver, replaced ExxonMobil Corp. Aug. 1 as operator of Katy field in southeast Texas and, separately, has increased its Barnett shale acreage in North Texas.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 22 -- Forest Oil Corp., Denver, replaced ExxonMobil Corp. Aug. 1 as operator of Katy field in southeast Texas and, separately, has increased its Barnett shale acreage in North Texas.

Katy field, covering 33,000 gross acres in Waller, Fort Bend, and Harris counties, contains 131 wells, 56 of which are producing. Forest holds a 52% interest in the field, which has produced more than 10 tcf of gas, primarily from the Middle to Late-Eocene Age Yegua formation. Forest shot a 3D seismic survey in 2003 that targeted deeper objectives in the sand and shale depositional system, and the field produced 13 MMcfd during the first quarter of this year.

Barnett shale holdings
Forest also concluded an exploration joint venture agreement with Westside Energy Corp., Houston, for its 14,000 acres acreage in Hill County along with continuing leasing activity. Forest intends to develop a drilling program to begin in 2007, following evaluation of the first horizontal well in Hill County, which was spud in July.

The companies will assign to each other 50% interests in certain of their respective acreage and will operate wells on their own land. The first well, horizontal Westside Primula-1, is drilling. Objective is gas in Mississippian Barnett shale

The agreement increases Forest's current holdings in the Barnett shale play to 20,000 gross acres, primarily in Hill and Erath counties where 3D seismic surveys have been conducted on portions of the acreage. Forest holds 48-100% working interest in the leases.