By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, May 17 -- Anadarko Petroleum Corp., Houston, and Purcell Energy Ltd., Calgary, plan more drilling next winter in Northeast British Columbia where they started production from three Devonian Slave Point gas discoveries drilled in the first quarter.
The b-39-L, b-14-L, and d-87-C discovery wells flowed a combined 17 MMcfd of gas starting in April at Tenaka, BC, 50 km south of Fort Nelson.
Purcell, with an average 36% interest in 50,000 acres, plans to drill as many as 6 wells out of 12 identified targets next winter at Tenaka, west across the Alaska highway from Anadarko's Adsett Slave Point gas field. Adjacent discoveries have produced 4-6 MMcfd since December 2000 and recover about 15 bcf of gas.
Anadarko also re-entered and sidetracked a well originally drilled in 2002 in the Adsett area, deepened to 8,400 ft, and tested 2.5 MMcfd of gas. Production was expected to start in May.
The Tenaka area, accessible in winter only because the Prophet River lacks a bridge, was relatively quiet in 2001 when Anadarko acquired Adsett from Berkley Petroleum Corp. Busy land activity is expected in May-July to the north, west, and south, Purcell said. Purcell acquired its first acreage in February 2001 and 320 sq km of 3D seismic data the past 2 years.
Tenaka gas is processed through Adsett facilities. Anadarko has applied to build a bridge, but approvals are unlikely until late 2006, Purcell said.
Purcell will seek partners to explore its 140,000 net undeveloped acres in British Columbia, acquiring seismic on several blocks in winter 2006 and drilling in 2007.
