Area Drilling

Indonesia Indonesia hopes to award 10-20 oil and gas contracts this year versus 15 in 1996, Pertamina said. It said negotiations are complete on seven contracts, eight are being negotiated, and talks are to start on eight more, Xinhua News Agency reported. The country averaged 1.572 million b/d of oil production in 1996, compared with 1.597 million b/d in 1995. Gas output was 8.616 bcfd against 6.510 bcfd in 1995. Carmanah Resources Ltd., Calgary, is moving to boost oil production from Camar

March 24, 1997

8 min read

Indonesia

Indonesia hopes to award 10-20 oil and gas contracts this year versus 15 in 1996, Pertamina said.

It said negotiations are complete on seven contracts, eight are being negotiated, and talks are to start on eight more, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The country averaged 1.572 million b/d of oil production in 1996, compared with 1.597 million b/d in 1995. Gas output was 8.616 bcfd against 6.510 bcfd in 1995.

Carmanah Resources Ltd., Calgary, is moving to boost oil production from Camar field, where it has completed a 3D seismic survey over the field and adjacent areas.

It spudded the CN-3 well from the WPP platform on Camar's north lobe. The well is to be deviated to 5,300 ft measured depth to access significant reserves updip from the producing CN-2 and Camar 5 wells.

Later Carmanah will move the rig to the south lobe, tie back CS-3 to the CPP platform, and possibly rework CS-1 before drilling the Camar-6 vertical well.

Nigeria

Tuskar Resources plc, Dublin, plans to start development drilling at offshore Obe oil field this spring using the Falrig 83 jack-up.

The first Obe development well, on the 240,000 acre OML 110 concession, is projected to 8,500 ft.

The well will target for dual completion zones that flowed 3,500 and 1,850 b/d of oil in the Obe 1 and Obe 3 exploration wells. It will also penetrate an as yet untested deeper zone identified as prospective on 3D seismic data. Tuskar's working interest is 40%.

Alabama

National Energy Group, Dallas, staked a 20,000 ft wildcat to Jurassic Norphlet in Baldwin County.

The 1 McDaniel, in 9-6s-4e, is 25 miles northeast of Mary Ann-Lower Mobile Bay field, Petroleum Information/Dwights LLC reported.

California

Windsor Energy U.S. Corp., Dallas, a unit of Windsor Energy Corp., Calgary, completed its second long reach well on its Rincon Island lease off western Ventura County.

The well, drilled at a 100° angle from vertical, flowed a sustained 550 b/d of oil. It is the third successful completion in a 19 well 1997 development program to further develop Miley A sand and confirm the B and C sands.

Plains Resources Inc., Houston, acquired Chevron Corp.'s interest in giant Montebello oil field and related Los Angeles basin fee acreage for $25 million.

The field produces about 800 b/d of oil and 800 Mcfd of gas from 55 wells. Based on future drilling and exploitation plans, Plains believes the property will add about 20 million bbl of oil to its proved reserves.

Georgia

Surface Exploration Service, Garland, Tex., amended to 20,000 ft the projected TD of a wildcat being drilled in Turner County.

The 1 McNair et al., 6 miles west of Ashburn, was spudded in late 1996, PI reported. Original projected TD was 16,000 ft.

Illinois

Mid-Continent Methane Inc., Fairfield, Ill., staked a wildcat to Cambrian Mount Simon in Saline County.

The 2 New Albany Test-Meadowlark, in 10-9s-5e, is projected to 9,000 ft. PI spots the well on the Cottage Grove fault system.

Kansas

Dark Horse Oil Co., Parker, Colo., completed a Pennsylvanian Lansing-Kansas City oil discovery in Decatur County.

The 1 Long Ranch, in 14-2s-27w, pumped 140 b/d of oil from below 3,500 ft to open Northeast Monaghan field, PI reported.

Louisiana

KCS Energy Inc., Houston, completed a discovery in Iberville Parish.

The 1 Wilbert, in 36-9s-12e, 5 miles southwest of Sunshine field, flowed 1.709 MMcfd of gas on an 8/64 in. choke with 4,410 psi FTP from Marg-Tex sand perforations at 11,090-095 ft.

Holding interests are Yuma Petroleum Co., Houston, Liberty Energy Corp., Bon Ray Inc., Williams Production Co., and McCoy Investment Partnership.

Texas

East

Exploration for gas in low permeability Mississippian Barnett shale is spreading in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Mercury Exploration Inc., Fort Worth, staked the 1 Miles, 1 mile north of Cresson, a 6,900 ft Barnett shale test in Johnson County. PI reported the county has only one producing well, a Barnett shale well 20 miles south-southeast completed in 1992 to open Cleburne West field.

AFE Oil & Gas Consultants, Dallas, staked the 2 Callejo, in nonproducing Dallas County. It is a 10,000 ft Barnett shale test. The spot is 1,500 ft north-northwest of AFE's 1 Callejo, cleaning up after a Barnett frac. It is 12 miles east of Barnett gas production in Newark East field.

Union Pacific Resources Group Inc., Fort Worth, has become a major player in the East Texas Cotton Valley pinnacle reef gas trend (OGJ, Mar. 10, 1997, p. 32).

Agreements signed with Jordan Oil & Gas Co. LP, Amoco Production Co., and T-Bar-X Ltd. Co., Houston, have given UPR interests in three producing wells, five wells drilling in early March, and 14 potential drillsites and a large 3D seismic shoot.

In the first agreement, UPR acquired Jordan's interest in three producing wells-the American Cometra Inc. 1 Pearlstone and 2 Frost and the Sonat Exploration Co. 1 Scurlock, all in Freestone County. UPR also acquired Jordan's interest in three drilling wells and the license to 3D seismic data and leasehold interest in about 5,000 net acres.

UPR and Jordan are partners in a separate joint exploration agreement in Smith County, where 3D seismic data are being acquired (see map, OGJ, Mar. 3, 1997, p. 25).

The agreement with Amoco calls for UPR to operate as many as four Cotton Valley pinnacle reef tests in Leon County at sites located using Amoco 3D data. The 1 Bearcat Unit is drilling, and the 1 Thunderbolt will spud by Apr. 1.

UPR, under the agreement with T-Bar-X, is drilling the 1 Lightning in Robertson County and has an option on three more locations being evaluated.

Separate from the three agreements, UPR is undertaking several 3D seismic programs on a combined 200 sq miles this year that should result in more drilling opportunities late this year and next year.

Gulf Coast

TransTexas Gas Corp., Houston, is starting a five well program to develop a Frio gas field in Chambers County.

The 1 Acom Gas Unit, 4 miles south of Stowell, was turned to sales on Dec. 24, 1996, at a sustained 22.5 MMcfd of gas and 334 b/d of condensate on a 32/64 in. choke with 4,000 psi FTP. TD is 10,752 ft. The well cut 92 ft of net pay in a gross interval at 8,700-10,550 ft.

The 2 and 3 Acom are expected to start sales in late March at rates similar to those in the discovery well.

Southern Mineral Corp., Houston, completed an Eocene Wilcox zone discovery in Lavaca County.

The 1 Klekar, in Hallettsville field, went on line Feb. 8 and flowed a sustained 900 Mcfd of gas with 100 b/d of condensate on an 8/64 in. choke from perforations at 10,065-85 ft.

West

Conoco Inc. completed an oil and gas well in the Deer Canyon field area of the Val Verde basin.

The 2-11 Creek Ranch, in Terrell County 18 miles southwest of Sheffield, flowed 930 b/d of 45° gravity oil with 1.829 MMcfd of casinghead gas and 48 b/d of water on a 12/64 in. choke with 2,300 psi FTP from Pennsylvanian Strawn perforations at 10,692-732 ft.

Conoco has drilled several more tests in the field, which it opened in 1995, PI reported.

Abraxas Petroleum Corp., San Antonio, plans to drill 23 more wells in Abraxas field and 10 more wells in Block 16 field to Permian Cherry Canyon this year.

Its 83-6 Caprito, in Abraxas field, Ward County, flowed 385 b/d of oil and 1.2 MMcfd of gas on a 22/64 in. choke with 575 psi FCP from Cherry Canyon K and N sands at 6,168-6,479 ft after frac.

Cherry Canyon P at 6,704-97 ft flowed 48 b/d of oil and 1.3 MMcfd on a 22/64 in. choke with 510 psi FCP.

Permian Bell Canyon A sand is structurally the highest in the field and has 34 ft of net pay. Cherry Canyon K, N, and P sands will be commingled and then dually completed with Bell Canyon A sand.

Abraxas dually completed the 83-7 Caprito in Ward County. The lower zone flowed 120 b/d and 2.5 MMcfd on an 18/64 in. choke with 1,450 psi FTP from 6,470-6,937 ft in Cherry Canyon N, O, and P sands and Permian Brushy Canyon sand after frac.

The upper zone flowed 343 b/d of oil and 436 Mcfd of gas on gas lift from Bell Canyon A sand at 4,738-58 ft. Abraxas has 100% interest.

The company recompleted the 98-8 Caprito (Abraxas 67%), in Ward County. It flowed 319 b/d of oil and 705 Mcfd of gas on an 18/64 in. choke with 900 psi FTP from Cherry Canyon N, O, and P sands at 6,524-6,771 ft after frac.

Washington

Rival Resources, Vancouver, B.C., staked a wildcat in Whatcom County.

The 1 Lake Fazon, in 13-39n-3e, is permitted to 2,500 ft. This is east of exploratory wells drilled in the county the past few years, said Northwest Oil Report, Portland, Ore.

Wyoming

Abraxas Petroleum Corp., San Antonio, was completing the Siberia Ridge 4-24 well and drilling the Siberia Ridge 5-24 wells in along the Moxa arch.

It dually completed the 4-22 Siberia Ridge, in Sweetwater County, in Cretaceous Lewis and Almond sands.

Lewis at 10,732-880 ft flowed 335 b/d of oil and 3.3 MMcfd of gas on a 20/64 in. choke with 1,600 psi pressure up 41/2 in. casing after frac.

Almond at 11,200-420 ft flowed 75 b/d and 1.3 MMcfd on a 20/64 in. choke with 1,300 psi pressure up 4-1/2 in. casing. Abraxas, Amoco, Williams Production Co., and Union Pacific Resources Co. hold interests.