Ellis T. Hammett
Consulting engineer
Reno, Nev.
Are extensive gas reserves about to be discovered in Nevada?
Operators have staked several deep tests that may help answer the question.
Drilling in the state has turned up mostly oil production, the oil wells have produced relatively little gas, few gas wells have been drilled, and only 38 wells have been drilled below 10,000 ft.
From earliest history, gas seeps have been recorded near Fallon in Churchill County, Nev.
As many as 15 shallow wells supplied heat and light to local ranches from 1865 until the late 1940s. Oil and gas seeps have been reported in other areas, including the Bruffey Ranch in Eureka County about 60 miles southwest of Elko.
Through the years at least three exploratory wells might have been completed as small commercial gas producers.
The Wexpro Corp. 1 Jiggs well in Elko County flowed 93 Mcfd of gas in 1980; the 3535 Eagle Springs Unit well in Railroad Valley, Nye County, flowed 9 Mcfd of gas, 540 b/d of oil, and 9 b/d of water in 1955; and, according to a Chevron U.S.A. Inc. scout, the 1 Colorock Quarry well in Clark County could have been completed as a gas well in 1983.
Several widely separated drilling wells have caught fire, presumably from gas, and produced gas was burned during reentry of the 1 Bonanza in Clark County near Las Vegas in 1970.
Lack of market, sparsity of gas transmission lines, and low gas prices are generally believed to have prevented completion of commercial gas wells in the state.
Since 1983 coincident with the high flowing oil production history of Grant Canyon field, larger volumes of gas have been reported.
After 30 years of essentially gas free oil production, Eagle Springs field oil wells are producing enough gas to supply lease fuel.
Oil wells in recently discovered Kate Spring field produce a low gravity, high GOR crude. One well, Western General Inc., Naples, Fla., 1-A Kate Spring, produces more gas than can be used on the lease.
The state Department of Minerals has begun recording natural gas production.
Several operators are considering drilling deep tests in Nevada, and a few have been staked.
Gary-Williams Oil Producer, Denver, has brought in a 14,000 ft capacity rig to drill Three Bar field wells in Eureka County.
Western General has applied to deepen the David M. Evans 1 Mary Kay well in Eureka County and sought a permit for a 15,000 ft test just west of Kate Spring field.
Of the 38 wells drilled below 10,000 ft in Nevada, none has been drilled below 20,000 ft and only two have gone below 15,000 ft.
Copyright 1990 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
