Three independents this week separately announced strong initial production (IP) rates from natural gas wells that were drilled horizontally on the Texas side of the Haynesville Shale.

Penn Virginia Corp.’s (PVA) results came from its Steele #2-H well in the Lower Bossier in Harrison County, TX. The well, in which the company holds 100% interest, tested at an IP rate of 11.4 MMcf/d with a flowing casing pressure of 4,600 pounds per square inch (psi). According to PVA, the well had a 4,000-foot lateral and was stimulated with 2.5 million pounds of sand and bauxite in 10 hydraulic fracture stages.

“This well has the highest initial production rate of any Lower Bossier shale well PVA has drilled to date in East Texas,” the company said. PVA now is in the process of completing another well in the region using 10 frac stages. In previous Haynesville area tests, PVA had been using two frac stages.

Goodrich completed its second operated well in East Texas, the Lutheran Church 5HR, which had an IP rate of 9 MMcf/d on a 26/64 inch choke with 4,375 psi. The well, which was completed with 3,100 feet of lateral length and 10 fracture stages, is located in the company’s Beckville/Minden area of Panola County, TX. Goodrich is operator and owns a 100% working interest in the well.

In addition, Gastar Exploration Ltd. said its Wildman Trust #5 test well in one Lower Bossier zone in East Texas tested at a restricted gross sales rate of 15 MMcf/d with more than 12,000 psi of flowing-casing pressure. The Houston-based producer drilled the well to a total depth of 19,000 feet and said it logged 60 net feet of pay in five Lower Bossier and one Middle Bossier zones. Gastar owns a 66.7% working interest (54.5% net) in the well.

“The Wildman Trust #5 well is completed in only the deepest Lower Bossier zone and the sales rate is being restricted,” said Gastar CEO Russell Porter. “The zone currently completed has tested at over 25 MMcf/d and is capable of higher rates.”

Gastar said that because of the high rate capable from the zone, it plans to delay more completions on the well and reserve the deliverability available from the behind pipe zones to be produced when gas prices are higher. The Wildman Trust #5 was drilled and completed for about $9.5 million.

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