West Virginia: Gastar-Atinum tap Marcellus wet gas

Gastar Exploration Ltd., Houston, has identified 72 well locations near its first two horizontal Marcellus completions in Marshall County, WV, and plans to spud 21 more wells by the end of 2011 in its Atinum joint venture.

Alan Petzet

Aug. 8, 2011

Initial production test results for the Wengerd 1H and 7H wells with 4,700-ft and 5,700-ft laterals tested above expectations at a combined stabilized rate of 15.5 MMcfd of 1,285-Btu natural gas and 1,100 b/d of condensate. Both wells are being connected to sales. Eight to 10 more wells should be on line by yearend and another 8-11 by mid-2012, Gastar said.

Gastar-Atinum will have three rigs working in Marshall County, two drilling horizontal sections and one drilling the vertical sections. Gastar holds 4,700 net (9,400 gross) acres in the county in the Atinum Joint Venture.

About the Author

Alan Petzet

Chief Editor Exploration

Alan Petzet is Chief Editor-Exploration of Oil & Gas Journal in Houston. He is editor of the Weekly E&D Newsletter, emailed to OGJ subscribers, and a regular contributor to the OGJ Online subscriber website.

Petzet joined OGJ in 1981 after 13 years in the Tulsa World business-oil department. He was named OGJ Exploration Editor in 1990. A native of Tulsa, he has a BA in journalism from the University of Tulsa.