PARADOX-UNCOMPAHGRE AREA EXPLORATION STIRS

G. Alan Petzet Exploration Editor A modest but interesting round of exploratory drilling is under way in the northeastern Paradox basin-Uncompahgre uplift area of southwestern Colorado. The present activity is close to right-of-way of the proposed TransColorado gas pipeline, which would allow access to several shut-in gas wells in this remote area (OGJ, Oct. 1, 1990, p. 79). Northwest Pipeline Corp. has served the area for years. Union Oil Co. of California is under way at a rank wildcat just

July 1, 1991

4 min read

G. Alan Petzet
Exploration Editor

A modest but interesting round of exploratory drilling is under way in the northeastern Paradox basin-Uncompahgre uplift area of southwestern Colorado.

The present activity is close to right-of-way of the proposed TransColorado gas pipeline, which would allow access to several shut-in gas wells in this remote area (OGJ, Oct. 1, 1990, p. 79). Northwest Pipeline Corp. has served the area for years.

Union Oil Co. of California is under way at a rank wildcat just north of the San Miguel River in Montrose County.

The 1-P35 Unocal-Federal, SE SE 35-47n-15w, is projected to 15,260 ft or the McCracken sandstone member of Devonian Elbert.

Drill site is 3 miles east-northeast of the Nucla community and about 11 miles north of Hamilton Creek field, a Permian Cutler and Pennsylvanian Hermosa gas area in San Miguel County.

COCKLEBUR DRAW AREA

Kriti Exploration Inc., Houston, is active at two wells near an Hermosa gas discovery completed by Exxon Co., U.S.A. in 1985 in the northeastern Paradox basin.

Kriti is conducting long term production tests to clean up after a large frac job conducted last fall at 3 Cocklebur Draw Unit, in 27-43n-15w. The well, south of Exxon's shut-in discovery, is making undisclosed gas volumes from Upper Hermosa.

The discovery well, Exxon's 1 Cocklebur Draw Unit, flowed 4.48 MMcfd of gas and 82 b/d of water from perforations at 9,238-9,555 ft in a deeper Hermosa zone that was absent in the 3 Cocklebur. An Exxon offset in 10-43n-15w was dry.

Kriti is also drilling 1 Pony Draw Unit, in 21-43n-15w, a north offset to Exxon's discovery, which hasn't been named.

Ground elevation at Kriti's well sites is 8,300-8,400 ft.

Meanwhile, American Hunter Exploration Inc. plugged a wildcat in San Miguel County 5 miles south-southeast of one well Hamm Canyon field. Its 44-24 Federal, in 24-44n-18w, went to about 8,900 ft. The well was projected to Cambrian Lynch dolomite at that depth.

MANY SHOWS, FEW FIELDS

This area, with only six named fields in San Miguel County and one in Montrose County, is truly rank wildcat territory.

Unocal drilled 2 San Miguel-Government, in 14-46n- 14w, Montrose County, in 1960 but came up dry at 10,095 ft. Well site was 6 miles southeast of the company's new staking.

The old well topped Devonian Ouray at 9,795 ft, Devonian Elbert at 9,885 ft, and McCracken at 10,035 ft. Gas shows were reported on drill stem tests in Pennsylvanian, Mississippian, and Devonian zones.

Shell Oil Co. reported oil shows in 1978 at 21 -1 9 Shell-Federal, a wildcat in 19-45n-13w, San Miguel County. That McCracken wildcat was 6 miles northeast of Hamilton Creek field and 36 miles east of Southeast Lisbon field.

The Hamilton Creek field discovery well, in 16-44n14w, flowed 4.039 MMcfd of gas from Honaker Trail at 6,612-38 ft in late 1976.

The Hamm Canyon field discovery well, the former Champlin Petroleum Co.'s 1 Hamm Canyon 14-26, in 26-45n-18w, flowed 1.164 MMcfd of gas from Hermosa at 9,562-9,620 ft.

Apache Corp. in 1981 completed 21-2 Federal, in 21-44n-18w, as a noncommercial gas discovery in Mississippian Leadville.

A one half mile southeast offset drilled in 1982 flowed 240 Mcfd of gas on a Leadville drillstem test at 8,0658,124 ft.

The offset encountered a Leadville section 80 ft thicker than that in the discovery well, Petroleum Information reported. It topped Leadville at 7,900 ft and Ouray limestone at 8,124 ft.

Little oil has been found in the area outside the larger fields such as Aneth and Lisbon in Utah and Papoose Canyon and Dove Creek in Dolores County, Colo.