Firms press Utica shale gas work in Quebec

Operators reported progress in unlocking gas from fractured Ordovician Utica shale in the St. Lawrence Lowlands area of Quebec.

Feb. 25, 2009

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Feb. 25 -- Operators reported progress in unlocking gas from fractured Ordovician Utica shale in the St. Lawrence Lowlands area of Quebec.

Forest Oil Corp., Denver, completed three wells at rates of 100-800 Mcfd each in spite of being unable to fully recover frac fluids because the area lacks a coiled tubing unit. The company tested each well, on a farmout from Junex Inc., Quebec City, in a different section of the Utica shale to gather data for future completions.

"Although sustained rates were not as high as anticipated, the tests have allowed Forest to identify the section of the shale it intends to target in future test wells," Forest Oil said.

Forest Oil, which plans to continue tests after winter, said it "proved the ability to successfully drill the wells horizontally and pump multistage slickwater frac jobs without major operational issues."

Farmor Junex plans to drill two wells to Utica shale on its Nicolet land block in 2009 and frac the St-Augustin-de-Desmaures well drilled near Quebec City in 2008.

Junex also participated in the Champlain 1H horizontal well on its Becancour-Champlain acreage in 2008 but didn't reveal the results. The well has a 900-m lateral in the Utica shale.