By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 30 -- Retamco Operating Ltd. has encountered what it calls encouraging gas shows from the first of four wells planned in Western Colorado on its North Barcus Creek prospect in the Piceance basin in Rio Blanco County, said project partners Brownstone Ventures Inc. and Dejour Enterprises Ltd.
Helmerich & Payne Rig No. 159 spudded Well 1-12 on Aug. 16 and has achieved 11,500 ft TD.
Mud logs indicate both conventional gas sands above 7,800 ft and targeted basin centered reservoirs of the Mesa Verde group sands to TD.
Logging is under way, after which, Retamco will set casing. The rig will then move to the second well location, North Barcus Creek No. 2-12, which is projected to be drilled to 11,425 ft TD.
Project partners have let a contract to Haliburton Energy Services to begin completion and testing of Well 1-12 shortly.
Retamco reports that multiple indicated natural gas-bearing zones in the Williams Fork and Isles sections of the Mesa Verde group sands are very similar to those in wells drilled and completed by Williams Cos. on adjacent ExxonMobil Corp.'s lands.
Logging and completion results will be forthcoming.
These Barcus Creek wells are the first to be drilled by the joint venture partners on their almost 300,000 acres of land holdings acquired since July 2006 in the Piceance basin of Western Colorado and Uinta basin of Eastern Utah. The North Barcus Creek prospect is one of three separate land holdings totaling over 5,000 acres within the promising Rio Blanco Deep project area.
It is expected that these lands will be fully developed on 40-acre spacing. Accessible pipeline facilities lay within 1 mile of the lease boundaries.
