G. Alan Petzet
Exploration Editor
Exploration in northern and southern Mississippi and adjacent northwestern Alabama is off to a fast start in 1991.
A sample of activity in the area includes a potentially significant Cambro-Ordovician Knox dolomite play building in northern Mississippi in and west of the Black Warrior basin.
ARCO Oil & Gas Co. has abandoned one wildcat in northwestern Mississippi.
In northeastern Mississippi, Amoco Production Co. and Arkla Exploration Co. are kicking off a Knox exploratory program on a spread of more than 200,000 net acres, and Pacific Enterprises Oil Co. (U.S.A.) has staked a wildcat.
In adjacent northwestern Alabama, Victory Resources Inc., Tuscaloosa, Ala., has drilled three wildcats, and Meridian Oil Inc. is drilling a Knox test.
Meanwhile, in southern Mississippi, Norcen Explorer Inc., Houston, has completed a dual Jurassic Cotton Valley oil and gas discovery below 16,000 ft in Jones County. In Lawrence County, Palmer Petroleum Inc., Shreveport, scheduled a 14,800 ft Lower Cretaceous Paluxy wildcat.
Arkla opened two Oligocene Frio and two Lower Cretaceous Tuscaloosa fields during 1990 in southwestern Mississippi. Arkla has completed 24 oil wells and 25 gas wells since starting its MissLa program in 1987.
And the Plains Petroleum Co.-Texaco Exploration & Production Inc. Tuscaloosa joint venture opened a field in Amite County, Miss.
KNOX EXPLORATION
The Knox play that has been simmering since late 1989 is beginning to result in drilling (see map, OGJ, Feb. 12, 1990, p. 24).
Marathon in December 1990 abandoned 1 Lay, SE NW NW 27-25n-2e, in lightly drilled, nonproducing Tallahatchie County, northwestern Mississippi. The total depth is 12,537 ft. Well site is 1 miles west of Charleston and 50 miles west of Reid field, in Calhoun County, which produces gas from Mississippian,
In Oktibbeha County, Miss., Pacific Enterprises staked 1 Jenkins 8-1, SW NE NE 8-19n-15e, as a 10,800 ft Paleozoic wildcat. It is 18 miles northeast of one well Maben (Knox) gas field.
In Alabama, Meridian's 1 Weyerhaeuser 2-3, NE NE NW 2 24n-2e, Greene County, Ala., is projected to 11,500 ft or Knox.
Victory is waiting on potential test at 1 Chandler 34-7, SW SW NE 34-23n-4e, Hale County, apparently from an acidized zone at 4,110-62 ft.
Victory's 1 Miller 30-13, NW SW SW 30-21n-4e, was dry at 4,077 ft in late 1990, and the company is attempting to complete 1 Bolden-GSPC 32-1, NE NE NE 32-21n-4e.
OTHER MISSISSIPPI ACTION
Plains and Texaco opened Christmas field in Amite County at 1 Foster, NE NE NW 36-3n-2e, about 1 5/8 miles north of Arkia's recent Tuscaloosa discovery of St. Patrick field.
It flowed 324 b/d of 34.6 gravity oil and 600 Mcfd of gas from about 11,900 ft, and 767 Mcfd of gas and 68 b/d of 50.3 gravity condensate from below 11,930 ft (OGJ, Feb. 25, p. 30).
Palmer's 1 Denkman, NE SW NE 32-5n-11e, Lawrence County, is to be drilled 3 miles south of Topeka gas field.
In Jones County, IP Petroleum Co., Houston, confirmed Free State field.
Its 1 Turner 20-5, SW SW NW 20-8n-13w, flowed 778 Mcfd of gas, 151 b/d of 49.8 gravity oil, and 25 b/d of water from three Lower Cretaceous Hosston intervals at about 16,000 ft.
Oryx Energy Co. opened the field in 1989 at 1 Smith, SW SW NE 19-8n-13w. It flowed 4.425 MMcfd of gas and 1,231 b/d of 42 gravity oil from five intervals at 15,900-16,200 ft.
Oryx is completing 1 Grayson, NW NW NE 13-8n-14w, northwest of the discovery.
Just east of Free State field, Norcen plans to develop Tallahoma Creek field, a Cotton Valley producing area opened in early 1991.
Its 1 Moffit, NE SW SW 22-8n-12w, flowed 600 b/d of 43.4 gravity oil from perforations at 16,199-212 ft. Another zone at 16,567-578 ft, 16,594-600 ft, and 16,626-634 ft, made 150 b/d of 39.3 gravity oil on swab tests, and a pump is being installed. Total depth is 17,020 ft.
The upper zone, undergoing stimulation, is expected to deliver 440 Mcfd of gas.
South-southeast of the field, Norcen and R.W. Tyson Producing Co. staked 1 Reasor Estate et al., NE SW SE 29-6n-11w, Jones County, a 17,000 ft Hosston deeper pool wildcat in Ovett oil field of Jones County.
Copyright 1991 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
