Gulf Coast

1 Dale Operating Co., Kilgore, Texas, plans an exploratory test in central Henderson County (RRC 5) some five miles east-southeast of Athens, Texas. The #1 Nelson will reach total depth of 12,000 ft. on a 114-acre lease in the O. M. Ware Survey, A-845. It will target the Pettit to reestablish production in one-well Goober Hill Field. LaRue Field is less than seven miles northwest. It has yielded 1.34 million bbl. of crude and condensate, 2.83 billion cu. ft. of gas and 351,472 bbl. of water from Bacon, Pettit and Travis Peak since coming onstream in 1945.

2 Unicorp Inc., Houston, reports that West Mountain Operating Co. completed #1 Easter Seals R-1 in Cayuga North Field in southwestern Henderson County (RRC 6), one mile north-northwest of Anderson County line, in John F. Hollien Survey, A-287. The well was tested for oil and gas from the Rodessa Bacon lime at about 7,600 ft. West Mountain anticipates gross production between 40 and 50 bbl. of oil a day after installation of production facilities.

3 XTO Energy Inc., Fort Worth, completed two northern Orange County (RRC 3) wildcats one mile south of Newton County line in the Mary Gest Survey, A-92, within the city limits of Mauriceville, Texas. The #1 A. Gilmer Estate had an initial daily potential of 1.3 million cu. ft. of gas, 22 bbl. of oil and 3 bbl. of water from the Eponides Yeguaensis at about 14,018 to 14,200 ft. Flowing tubing pressure was gauged at 6,709 psi on a 6/64-in. choke. XTO also completed #1 Head nearby, which flowed 159 bbl. of 38.6-gravity oil, 439,000 cu. ft. of gas and 137 bbl. of water a day from the Nodosaria at 8,122-30 ft. Flowing tubing pressure was gauged at 1,518 psi on a 12/64-in. choke. Single-well Gist Southwest Field is about 0.5 mile northwest. Completed in 1985, #1 TXPO Stark Foundation has recovered more than 1.73 billion cu. ft. of gas, 57,257 bbl. of condensate and 28,237 bbl. of water. Long Prairie and Bobcat Run Fields provide additional Yegua production nearby.

4 Terra Ferma Operating LLC, Dallas, permitted a wildcat in northwestern Dimmit County (RRC 1), some 10 miles northwest of Carrizo Springs, Texas. The #401 Star Hamilton is planned for total depth of 8,000 ft. on a 4,746.68-acre lease in Section 4, Block 10, I & GN RR Co. Survey, A-390, about 4.5 miles east of Maverick County line. Nearest production is about 1.25 miles west in Halsell Field, which produces from Strawn and Escondido. According to IHS Inc., comparable recovery is another 2.5 miles northwest at #1-46 Comanche Ranch, which was completed in 2003 as a vertical well with an initial daily potential of 149 bbl. of 43-gravity oil from Glen Rose at 6,980 to 7,040 ft. This is part of a reservoir that has yielded 4.27 million bbl. of oil and condensate, 21.14 million cu. ft. of gas and 6.36 million bbl. of water.

5 Ventex Operating Corp., Dallas, permitted a?16,000-ft. directional wildcat about eight miles southwest of Goliad, Texas, in southwestern Goliad County (RRC 2) The #1 Ball Unit is in the Gertrudis Cortinas Survey, A-82, (some maps may show Pedro Trevino Survey, A-47). Nearest recovery is one mile southeast in Clip Field, which produces gas primarily from the Miocene, Frio and Vicksburg. Muy Bueno Field is about four miles north, which has recovered some 14.19 billion cu. ft. of gas, 357,372 bbl of condensate and 615,387 bbl. of water from Wilcox since coming online in 1989.

6 Exploration II LP, Houston, plans to drill #1 State Tract 560-L SW Unit in Texas state waters offshore Calhoun County in the southwestern quadrant of Matagorda Island Block 560. Nearest recovery is 1.33 miles northeast, where #1 State Tract 560-L NW4 flowed 6.09 million cu. ft. of gas a day from Miocene. From 1998 through 2000, this well recovered 3.14 billion cu. ft. of gas, 7,115 bbl. of condensate and 16,050 bbl. of water as the sole producer in Matagorda 560-L Field. Another discovery, completed in 2006, is 0.33 mile northeast. The #1 State Tract 560-L S2 NW4 was production-tested through perforations in the Miocene, but initial potential test information is not available. Cumulative recovery from the 8,020-ft. well is 12.31 million cu. ft. through June 2007.

7 LLOG Exploration Offshore Inc., Covington, La., permitted a sidetrack in southern Eugene Island Block 152, offshore Louisiana. The #1 (ST) OCS G27107 will be drilled in 72 ft. of water out of abandoned #1 OCS G15244, which was drilled to 20,650 ft. in 1996. The only previous recovery for Block 152 is about one mile west. Brought onstream in 1985, Eugene Island Block 159 Field has recovered a cumulative 31.96 billion cu. ft. of gas, 670,740 bbl. of condensate and 379,991 bbl. of water from Pliocene and Miocene.

8 Energy Partners Ltd., New Orleans, brought the Cap Rock discovery onstream on South Timbalier Block 41. It reports that #B-3 (ST) OCS G24954 is producing 1,900 bbl. of oil and 18 million cu. ft. of gas a day with a flowing tubing pressure of 5,540 psi. The Cap Rock discovery marks the eleventh to date in the South Timbalier area. Cumulative recovery from Block 41 Field totals 66.44 billion cu. ft. of gas, 1.74 million bbl. of condensate and 1.11 million bbl. of water.

9 LLOG Exploration Offshore permitted an offshore Louisiana wildcat on West Delta Block 67 in 98 ft. of water. It will drill #1 OCS G27179 from a surface location in northern, adjacent Block 68. The company suspended operations at #1 OCS G27180 earlier this year. The only previous producer nearby was completed in 1982 in northern Block 67, about one mile east. West Delta Block 67 Field yielded 1.2 billion cu. ft. of gas, 325,810 bbl. of crude and condensate and 1.05 million bbl. of water until 1989.

10 BP Exploration & Production Inc., U.K., permitted a deepwater wildcat on Mississippi Canyon Block 683 in 4,619 ft. of water. The #2 OCS G16636 will be drilled by a semisubmersible rig from a surface location in the southwestern corner of the tract. Some five miles west-southwest, the Tubular Bells discovery was drilled on Mississippi Canyon Block 725. The #1 (BP) OCS G22898 encountered 190 ft. of net oil pay in late 2003. BP is also active in its Kodiak prospect in Mississippi Canyon Block 771, which currently produces as part of Devils Tower (Mississippi Canyon Block 773) Field. The #1 OCS G24107 is slated to be drilled in 4,977 ft. of water.

11 Devon Energy Corp., Oklahoma City, plans several wildcats in the Portage prospect in Mississippi Canyon Block 588. It will drill three wells in the southern half of the tract in water depths ranging from 2,381 to 2,556 ft. Nearest previous activity is 1.5 miles west-northwest on adjacent Block 587. It also plans to drill four wells on its Chaps prospect on the adjacent Mississippi Canyon Block 633 in water depths from 2,574 to 2,708 ft. Nearest production comes from Pluto Field, comprised of Mississippi Canyon blocks 674 and 718, about 8.5 miles southwest. Brought onstream in 1999, the two-well field has recovered 44.83 billion cu. ft. of gas, 5.59 million bbl. of condensate and 213,866 bbl. of water from Williana and Pliocene.

12 Eni U.S. Operating Co., Italy, encountered a 400-ft. net gas pay in multiple sands at an appraisal well on Mississippi Canyon’s Longhorn prospect. According to Nexen Inc., Calgary, which holds a 25% interest in the site, #2 OCS G24084 in southern Block 502 has exceeded company expectations. The site is about one mile east-southeast of #1 OCS G24084, which found productive gas sands a year ago.

13 Devon Energy Corp., Oklahoma City, completed a Cotton Valley discovery in southwestern Ouachita Parish, La. The #1 Devon-Donner was tested in Section 11-15n-2e from 13,466 to 14,058 ft., although no further details are currently available. Nearest comparable production is about three miles southeast in northern Caldwell Parish. The #D-1 Louisiana Central Lumber Co. was completed in 1946 with a daily potential of 4.06 million cu. ft. of gas and 15 bbl. of water but was never brought online. Additional nearby recovery comes from Vixen Field, which has produced 217.54 billion cu. ft. of gas, 23,932 bbl. of condensate and 3.5 million bbl. of water from Rodessa, Hosston, Cotton Valley and Bossier since 1961, reports IHS Inc.

14 Kash Oil & Gas Inc., Lafayette, La., will drill #1 Marcantel Farms et al. in Section 34-5s-6w to evaluate Frio at 8,000 ft. Harmony Church Field is 1.33 miles east, which has produced a cumulative 2.2 billion cu. ft. of gas, 820,461 bbl. of oil and condensate and 275,563 bbl. of water, primarily from Cockfield, since coming onstream in 1980.

15 Mississippi Power Co., Gulfport, Miss., plans a 10,000-ft. wildcat in southern, nonproducing Jackson County, Miss. The #11-1 Mississippi Power Co. will evaluate Lower Cretaceous in Section 11-6s-6w. Miocene recovery comes from several fields in Mobile County, Ala., some 25 miles east-southeast. Fields include Bayou Jonas, Bellingrath Gardens, Heron Bayou and Mon Louis Island North.