WESTERN U.S.

1 A new gas sandstone reservoir has been discovered by Solimar of Ventura, Calif., at #2-13 Jack Hamar 1 at its Southeast Lost Hills gas project. The zone was tested flowing up to 400,000 cu. ft. per day from a perforated San Joaquin interval at approximately 2,600 ft. Gas flowed from a shallower reservoir than the 2008 #3-13 Jack Hamar discovery. According to IHS Inc., the producer is in Section 13-28s-21e in Kern County. The company has shut in both wells and has plans to drill #4-13 Almond Grove to about 3,500 ft. in a nearby location.

2 According to the Rocky Mountain Oil Journal, VA Resources of Casper, Wyo., is turning to the right on a rank wildcat in Tooele County, Utah. The test was originally permitted by Geochem Exploration, also of Casper, and is designated the #21-1 Skull Valley Federal. The wildcat, in Section 21-3s-9w, targets Devonian at 7,500 ft. Closest nearby production is about 70 miles northeast in Lodgepole Field, a 13-well field that has produced 740 million cu. ft. of gas, 2 million bbl. of oil and 2 million bbl. of oil equivalent from Nugget, Twin Creek, and Watton since 1978.

3 In Sublette County, Wyo., Ultra Resources Inc. of Houston has completed two high-volume Lance producers on the Pinedale Anticline. Both completions were drilled from a common drillpad. The #16C1-34D Mesa flowed gas at an initial rate of 14 million cu. ft. per day, with 74 bbl. of condensate and 656 bbl. of water daily in Section 34-32n-109w. Production is from 28 fractured stages in Lance between 8,403 and 13,538 ft. with a flowing casing pressure of 2,160 psi after drilling to 13,650 ft., 13,586 true vertical. The #15A1-34D Mesa is in the same section and was tested initially flowing 13.3 million cu. ft. of gas, 72 bbl. of condensate and 715 bbl. of load water daily. Production was reported from 27 fractured stages in Lance between 8,245 and 13,518 ft. The well was drilled to 13,610 ft., 13,588 true vertical, and the flowing casing pressure was 2,946 psi.

4 In eastern Colorado, Running Foxes Petro­­­­leum Inc. completed a 7,500-ft. wildcat as a Cherokee oil discovery. The #10-5 Jolly Ranch is in Section 5-13s-55w of western Lincoln County, and initially pumped 19 bbl. of oil and 189 bbl. of water per day from four perforated Cherokee intervals at 6,694-98 ft., 6,746-53 ft., 6,794-6,800 ft. and 6,850-53 ft. after drilling and casing to 7,500 ft. Additional completion details are not available. Running Foxes’ headquarters are in Centennial, Colo.

5 A 28-stage fracture stimulation by Brigham Oil & Gas LP initially produced about 1,553 bbl. of oil and 1.34 million cu. ft. of gas per day from a two-section lateral in Middle Bakken. The #16-21 1H BCD Farms is in Section 16-156n-103w, western Williams County, N.D. The well was tested during an early 24-hour flow-back period following fracture stimulation. This is Brigham’s sixth overall fracture stimulation of more than 18 stages in the Williston Basin. Brigham holds a 24% working interest in the new producer, which will increase upon payout of the first six wells in the company’s Rough Rider drilling agreement with U.S. Energy Corp. According to the Austin-based company, the discovery is the first Bakken producer in that township.

6 A remote horizontal Bakken wildcat discovery was reported to IHS Inc. by Newfield Production Co. in Divide County, N.D. Newfield has applied with the North Dakota Industrial Commission for temporary spacing, field limits and rules in order to develop an oil pool discovered by #1-31H Trigger in Section 31-160n-102w. The closest horizontal Bakken production is 25 to 28 miles to the northeast in the Ambrose/Blooming Prairie Field area, where Samson Resources is developing oil reserves in Sanish-Three Forks. Newfield headquarters are located in Houston.

7 West of Watford City, N.D., Newfield Production Co. completed a horizontal wildcat as a Bakken oil discovery. The #1-21H Sergeant Major is in Section 21-150n-99w of McKenzie County, and has produced an undisclosed amount of oil from a lateral in Bakken. Newfield has applied with the North Dakota Industrial Commission for temporary spacing, field limits and rules to develop an oil pool discovered by the well. The company has also requested an order pooling all interests in a spacing unit for the new Bakken pool discovery and authorizing the recovery of a risk penalty from each nonparticipating owner. The #1-21H Sergeant Major is the first Bakken producer in the township.

8 A horizontal wildcat by Zenergy Operating Co. LLC on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation initially flowed 432 bbl. of oil, 485,000 cu. ft. of gas and 90 bbl. of water per day. The Tulsa-based independent’s #2-1H Dakota-3 TAT (714A) is in Section 1-148n-95w, Dunn County, and produces from a fractured horizontal lateral in Middle Bakken from 11,512 ft. Flow was measured through a 20/64-in. choke with a tubing pressure of 260 psi. A production liner with swell packers was set in the lateral between 10,602 and 15,280 ft. The only reported formation top was Bakken at 11,169 ft. The new discovery is the first producer in its township.

9 A delineation test by Houston-based EOG Resources Inc. in the Alger Field region of Mountrail County, N.D., initially flowed 750 bbl. of 42-gravity oil, 494,000 cu. ft. of gas and 1,039 bbl. of load water. The #5-08H Ross is in Section 8-156n-92w and was initially tested on a 24/64-in. choke from a fracture-stimulated interval of Middle Bakken at 10,270-14,575 ft.; flowing tubing pressure was gauged at 810 psi. The true vertical depth of the new venture is 9,740 ft., and the northwest lateral terminates at a measured depth of 14,680 ft. in the same section.

10 A Dunn County, N.D., discovery by Fort Worth-based independent Encore Operating LP has opened a new pool on the Nesson Anticline. The Three Forks-Sanish horizontal producer #21-3H Were Trust is in Section 3-147n-96w and flowed 1,500 bbl. of oil equivalent per day from a 3,700-ft. open-hole lateral following a single frac job. It is projected to a measured depth of 16,000 ft. on a 640-acre unit.

11 Questar Exploration and Production reports a discovery in a previously nonproducing Williston Basin township 14 miles north of Halliday, N.D. The #1-08H-149-90 MHA was drilled to 16,500 ft. in Section 8-149n-90w of McLean County and reached a peak production rate of 841 bbl. of oil equivalent per day from a 5,023-ft. horizontal section in Middle Bakken. Questar’s headquarters are in Salt Lake City.

12 Shell has submitted a 2010 exploration plan for Alaska’s Chukchi Sea Outer Continental Shelf to the U.S. Minerals Management Service. Shell identified seven lease blocks within three prospects known as Burger, Crackerjack, and Southwest Shoebill. Three possible drillsites (one per block) are on three different blocks (6714, 6764 and 6912) in the Burger Prospect; one is on a single block (6864) in the Crackerjack Prospect; and one is on a single block (7007) in the SW Shoebill Prospect. Shell plans to drill exploration wells at three of these five possible drillsites in 2010, given favorable ice conditions, weather, sea state, and other pertinent factors. Each location has been reviewed for potential shallow hazards and archaeological evidence.

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