John McCaslin
Exploration Editor
Jurassic exploratory success in the Southeast continues unabated in these times of low rig counts.
Two recent Jurassic Smackover events in southwestern Alabama and another in southeastern Mississippi prove that the three state region of Alabama-Florida-Mississippi and its adjoining Gulf of Mexico and Mobile Bay waters must contain some of the best oil and gas accumulations to be found in the U.S.
Finding Jurassic production in the Southeast has been a long trail, but the trail has not been littered with too many dusters. Prolific reservoirs in the Norphlet and Smackover formations have been tapped in recent years. Success is good and the industry continues to be highly motivated.
A SMACKOVER TRIO
The most significant of the new trio of Jurassic strikes is just east of Huxford in Escambia County, Alabama.
Pruet Production Co. reports a combined flow of 524 b/d of oil from the upper Smackover at 1 A.T.I.C. 18-13 in SW SW 18-3n-7fe. The deeper zone was 14,454-14,470 ft, the shallower 14,424-435 ft. Location is northeast of Smackover oil in Huxford field. East Huxford is the official name of the new area.
An important extension well is reported to have flowed 678 b/d of oil from the Smackover at 13,868-13,912 ft. This is an Uriah field extension to the northeast in Monroe County, Alabama. Union Exploration Partners 1 Bibb G. Mims 7-3, NE NW 7-4n-6e, flowed on choke. Getty Oil Co. opened the field at 1 Rufus Garrett 12-7 in SE NW 12-4n-5e. That well flowed 580 b/d of oil from the Smackover on choke from pay at 14,046-14,060 ft. Total depth was in the Paleozoics at 14,447 ft.
The third of the new Jurassic successes is in Smith County, Miss., at Weeks Exploration Co. 1 Noblin et al., NW SW 3-4n-8e. The well flowed 180 b/d of oil from the Smackover on choke from perforations at 15,196-15,233 ft, opening Tallabogue Creek field. A northwest offset is drilling.
INCREASES THE SCORE
The search for Smackover oil in southwestern Alabama is just part of a historical series of wildcat events through the years.
Prolific oil and gas fields have been uncovered in both the Smackover and the Norphlet, both famous Jurassic sections in the Southeast. Norphlet hunting became heated after Pelahatchie field was opened in 1967 in Mississippi. Then came Flomaton in Alabama in 1968 and Mt. Carmel in Florida in 1972. The biggest find was at Jay in Florida in 1970. The region today boasts a healthy number of Norphlet fields, particularly the vast gas reserves in the Mobile Bay's southern extremes.
However, Smackover wildcatting remains popular and rewarding, particularly in the Baldwin and Escambia County areas in Alabama. Traps here are mainly combination, involving favorable stratigraphy and salt anticlines, faulted salt anticlines, ore extensional faults associated with salt movement.
Copyright 1990 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
