Flowed

A horizontal well targeting the Cotton Valley formation in northern Louisiana recently flowed at an initial production rate of 3,019 boe/d over a 24-hour period, according to privately held producer Indigo Minerals LLC.

Landowners in Belmont County, OH, which has become a hotbed of activity for prospective shale exploration, are signing leases with ExxonMobil Corp. subsidiary XTO Energy Inc. to allow drilling to begin on their acreage, the company has acknowledged.

More than two years after a spectacularly expensive takeover called attention to Alberta’s vast Duvernay geological formation, drilling is beginning — and the deep shale target is turning out to be expensive to hit.

Pioneer Natural Resources Co. said late last week one of its Eagle Ford Shale wells in South Texas flowed at an initial production (IP) rate of 17 MMcf/d on a 24/64-inch choke with 7,300 pounds per square inch wellhead flowing pressure.

Pioneer Natural Resources Co. said late Tuesday one of its Eagle Ford Shale wells in South Texas flowed at an initial production (IP) rate of 17 MMcf/d on a 24/64-inch choke with 7,300 pounds per square inch wellhead flowing pressure.

Seneca Resources Corp.’s third operated horizontal well in the Marcellus Shale flowed at a 24-hour initial production (IP) rate of more than 10 MMcf/d and averaged 9.5 MMcf/d over seven days, the National Fuel Gas Co. exploration subsidiary said Tuesday.

Apache Corp. said the Ewing Banks 998 No.1 discovery well in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico test flowed at 5.4 MMcf/d of natural gas and 4,254 b/d of oil. The well is to be connected to existing facilities using a subsea tieback with first production expected in early 2010. Apache owns a half stake in the discovery, which is located about 150 miles southwest of New Orleans in water about 1,000 feet deep. Walter Oil & Gas Corp. is the operator of the well and owns the remaining 50% stake. The well was drilled to a measured depth of 14,538 feet and tested on an interval between 14,352 feet and 14,400 feet. Apache has completed eight wells at Ewing Banks 826 and increased production to a current rate of 12.9 MMcf/d and 5,300 b/d from a 2007 rate of 700 boe/d. Apache owns a 100% working interest in the Ewing Banks block.

Shell Canada said Wednesday that it made a major natural gas discovery in Central Alberta. An exploration test well flowed at a restricted rate of about 30 MMcf/d, and Shell Canada estimates there is about 500-800 Bcf of gas reserves in place in the previously untested Leduc reef feature about 19 miles southwest of Rocky Mountain House in Alberta.

Shell Canada said Wednesday that it made a major natural gas discovery in Central Alberta. An exploration test well flowed at a restricted rate of about 30 MMcf/d, and Shell Canada estimates there is about 500-800 Bcf of gas reserves in place in the previously untested Leduc reef feature about 19 miles southwest of Rocky Mountain House in Alberta.