NORTHERN MICHIGAN REEF PLAY REKINDLED
Two new Silurian Niagaran reef gas flows in northern Michigan place this prolific play of the 1980s high on the menu for the young decade upon us.
Shell Western E&P reports strong gas flows on two Niagaran formation wells along the northern Niagaran reef trend in Otsego and Montmorency counties. The company says both wells made more than 3 MMcfd of gas plus condensate, opening another round of Silurian pinnacle reef hunting in the northern counties of the Lower Peninsula.
SIGNIFICANT GAS TESTS
Michigan's Oil and Gas News reports that Shell tested more than 3 MMcfd of gas at each of two Niagaran reef wells in the area.
One of the wells is a wildcat in an undrilled area of Otsego County, the other inside a producing area of Montmorency County. The 1 28 Chester is in NW SW NW 28-29n-2w, Chester Township, near the Otsego-Crawford County line, drilled from a surface location 4,000 ft north in SW SE SE 21 due to restrictions imposed because of a National Guard artillery range in the area. Gas flow was 3.009 MMcfd, plus 312 bbl of condensate.
About 15 miles northeast, Shell 4-31 State-Vienna, NW NE SE 31-31n-le, Vienna Township, flowed 3.005 MMcfd of gas and 114 b/d of condensate. Location is inside Vienna 31-31n-le field, opened in 1988 by Shell for 3 MMcfd of gas and 120 b/d of condensate.
IN UNDRILLED, MATURE AREAS
State people in Michigan say the Chester Township discovery is one of the area's most significant wells in some time.
The well was drilled in an area of more than 7 sq miles which had been undrilled previously.
The assistant supervisor of the Department of Natural Resources' Subsurface and Petroleum Geology Division, William Henderson, says he is impressed with the strong gas condensate production being found that far south on the trend.
The Otsego County area is one of the most mature parts of the northern reef trend, according to Henderson. He sees more Niagaran activity on a statewide basis. "Holes like these two will encourage more," he adds.
Michigan's Oil and Gas News notes that both new wells give promise to exploration on the south edge of the current northern reef trend production where Manistee, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Otsego, Montmorency, and Presque Isle counties begin the new year showing a slow, but steady, flow of permits and drilling action directed toward the "elusive, but rewarding, Niagraran targets."
The main search for pinnacle reefs did not begin until the surface gravimeter method was successfully used during 1947 to locate Kimball reef.
The real oil potential of the northern trend was tapped when Shell 1 -11 Horicon was completed for 135 b/d of oil and 179 Mcfd of gas several years ago.
This discovery was quickly followed by the McClure 1 State-Union in Kalkaska County.
The northern trend now extends from Lake Michigan shores northeastward past Gaylord.
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