GAS EXPLORATION FANS OUT MIN ARKOMA BASIN

Jan. 1, 1990
Gas exploration is heating up in the South Central Arkoma basin's pre-Pennsylvanian formations. Several operators are targeting Siluro-Devonian Hunton and Cambro-Ordovician Arbuckle limestones in the area, along the Arkansas-Oklahoma state line 50-70 miles east of Arbuckle and Pennsylvanian Spiro-Wapanucka gas plays in Latimer and Pittsburgh counties, Okla.

Gas exploration is heating up in the South Central Arkoma basin's pre-Pennsylvanian formations.

Several operators are targeting Siluro-Devonian Hunton and Cambro-Ordovician Arbuckle limestones in the area, along the Arkansas-Oklahoma state line 50-70 miles east of Arbuckle and Pennsylvanian Spiro-Wapanucka gas plays in Latimer and Pittsburgh counties, Okla.

Southwestern Energy Co., Fayetteville, Ark., planned to drill six wells on Fort Chaffee Military Reservation, mostly in Sebastian County, Ark., where it has tested "significant" discoveries. The company's plans hinged on military approval because training maneuvers are conducted in the area.

Union Pacific Resources Co., Fort Worth, bid as much as $800/acre for a 560 acre lease in Ouachita National Forest at a Bureau of Land Management competitive lease sale in December. The parcel is in Scott County, Ark., 12 miles southeast of Mansfield gas field.

Several other operators plan relatively deep Hunton and Arbuckle wells just to the west in LeFlore County, Okla.

SOUTHWESTERN DISCOVERIES

Southwestern reported its 14-1 and 23-1 Fort Chaffee wells flowed at a combined rate of 21 MMcfd of gas on production tests. A third well, Southwestern's 13-1 Fort Chaffee, flowed gas during air drilling and showed gas bearing sand on logs.

The wells are 4-5 miles north of Greenwood, Ark.

Southwestern planned to resume tests early this month following maneuvers. It declined to identify the producing formation but said the wells were not drilled deep enough to evaluate Arbuckle.

The wells were staked as Hunton tests, and state records show they were drilled deep enough to penetrate Hunton. Southwestern owns 100% of the working interest.

The company acquired about 11,000 acres of leases on Fort Chaffee land, including those on which the three wells were drilled, in January 1989.

Southwestern is interpreting data from the wells and recently conducted seismic surveys, hoping they will provide guidance for exploration to Arbuckle and other deep zones, a spokesman said.

The company hopes to connect the wells to one of several pipelines proposed to be built in the Arkoma basin. The projects include the Noark Pipeline System, in which Southwestern is a partner (see map, OGJ, Oct. 30, 1989, p. 22).

About 5 miles southwest of Southwestern's successes, Esco Exploration Inc., Tulsa, started operations last month at 2-1 Johnson, a proposed 11,200 ft Arbuckle wildcat in Bonanza field, Sebastian County.

In addition, Samson Resources Co., Tulsa, plans a 6,400 ft Hunton test, 2 Edwards, in Hollis Lake in Crawford County, Ark., 9 miles northwest of Southwestern's wells.

OKLAHOMA WELLS

Deepest of the planned Oklahoma wells is an Amoco Production Co. wildcat, 1 Short Unit, in LeFlore County about 5 miles north of the Choctaw fault.

Projected depth is 16,000 ft or Hunton. Location, 2 miles south of Howe, is about 14 miles southeast of an Amoco well in Red Oak-Norris field that produced about 160 MMcf of gas from Arbuckle below 13,300 ft for several months in 1986-87.

About 12 miles southwest of Amoco's 1 Short Unit, Mobil Exploration & Producing U.S. Inc. asked spacing for what probably will be a deep Arbuckle wildcat.

The acreage is 5 miles south of the Choctaw fault and 1 0 miles northeast of Talihina, Okla.

ARCO, Arkla Exploration Co., and Santa Fe Minerals Inc. have filed separate spacing requests on adjoining acreage 4-8 miles west of Poteau and east of Red Oak-Norris field.

Santa Fe sought spacing through Arbuckle and Cambrian Reagan in the area, near Cavanal Mountain.

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