G. Alan Petzet
Exploration Editor
Exploration for oil in geopressured Upper Oligocene sandstones is alive and well in southern Louisiana.
A group led by Helmerich & Payne Inc., Tulsa, Okla., was preparing to set intermediate casing in early September at 1 State Lease 13603, a projected 13,200 ft wildcat just north of the Mississippi River in Iberville Parish.
Primary objectives at the wildcat are the Marginulina vaginata sandstone of Upper Oligocene lower Anahuac and Cibicides hazzardi sandstone of upper Frio.
The wildcat is on the southern tip of Point Clair in 55 9s 1e on a 1,467 acre block about 1 mile north of the town of White Castle, named for the famed antebellum mansion connected with the nearby Nottaway Plantation.
Nearest production is about 2.5 miles southeast in Laurel Ridge field, which yields gas and condensate from normally pressured Miocene reservoirs.
The other main working interest owners besides H&P are Crystal Oil Co., Shreveport, Maguire Oil Co. and Maynard Oil Co., Dallas, and Preston Oil Co., Houston.
PLAYING A TREND
The well site lies along a postulated east-west trend that has yielded significant production further west, says Thomas K. Joeckel, a Houston independent geologist under contract to Yuma Petroleum Co.
Yuma generated the prospect.
Joeckel, formerly with Texoil Co., Houston, was instrumental in establishing meaningful geopressured Oligocene production and reserves in Dorcyville field in Iberville Parish in 1985.
Dorcyville field, 2 miles west of the H&P wildcat, now has three producing wells that have produced a combined 1.2 million bbl of oil.
Sonat Exploration Co. opened Dorcyville field in 1982. Its 1 Babin Co., in 30-10s-13e, was completed for an initial flow rate of 168 b/d of 23 gravity oil and 7 Mcfd of gas from Cib. hazz. perforations at 13,942-964 ft. The well eventually produced only a few thousand barrels of oil.
Texoil's 1 Grace D. Murrell, in 17-10s-12e about 1 mile north of Sonat 1 Babin Co., flowed 720 b/d of oil and 310 Mcfd of gas from perforations at 12,686-715 ft.
Shut-in tubing pressures at this and two other Murrell wells ranged from 6,500-7,500 psi.
Marg. vag. also has produced large volumes of oil from the north flank of White Castle salt dome, Shell Oil Co.'s large field.
Copyright 1990 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
