Alaska: Cook Inlet well’s first oil zone gauged

The Sword-1 directional well in Alaska’s Cook Inlet has been tested on artificial lift and produced at the rate of 883 b/d of oil equivalent from the Hemlock, one of three targeted pay zones to be tested, said Miller Energy Resources Inc., Huntsville, Tenn.

Miller Energy plans to test the Tyonek-G oil sands within the month and then the shallower Tyonek gas sands, but the initial completion has boosted the company’s production past the expected 2013 exit rate of 4,000 boe/d.

Sword-1 is the first of two planned wells on the 240-acre structure adjacent to West MacArthur River field. The company has skidded the rig 30 ft to spud the next prospect, the WMRU-8 development well.

Miller Energy said Sword-1 has provided invaluable control data for the Sabre prospect, which is adjacent to Sword with nearly three times the acreage. It plans to drill the first Sabre well in mid-2014.