Shallow

Cunningham Energy LLC, an independent oil and natural gas producer, said two of its shallow horizontal wells targeting the Big Injun Sandstone formation in West Virginia have collectively produced more than 26,000 bbl of oil, a company milestone.

Cunningham Energy LLC, an independent oil and natural gas producer, said two of its shallow horizontal wells targeting the Big Injun Sandstone formation in West Virginia have collectively produced more than 26,000 bbl of oil, a company milestone.

Apache Corp. said operations have been completed at a well at Main Pass 295 in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico that had an uncontrolled flow of natural gas fluid flowing underneath. The operator detected the flow on Feb. 4 and activated a blowout preventer, but tests indicated that the hydrocarbon had migrated from the bottom of the 8,300-foot hole to a shallower sand formation 1,100 feet below the sea floor (see Daily GPI, Feb. 19). A relief rig was sent to the location in case a separate well had to be drilled. The bottom of the well has been plugged and cemented, and the gas migration has been stopped, Apache said. Management still is evaluating the next steps for the well, which is in 218 feet of water.

Apache Corp. is continuing to plan for a relief well “if that becomes necessary” as it contains natural gas migration from an offshore well in shallow Louisiana waters, a spokesman told NGI. A relief rig was sent to the site Feb. 15 as Apache monitored a well where gas had been flowing underground for several days (see Daily GPI, Feb. 19). The well, being drilled by the Ensco 87 jack-up rig, is about 50 miles east of Venice, LA, in Main Pass Block 295 in about 218 feet of water. “There has been no impact to the environment and no injuries,” said spokesman John Roper. “We are continuing to control the migration of gas in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. We are also continuing to plan for a relief well if that becomes necessary.”

Gulf of Mexico (GOM) operator ATP Oil & Gas Corp., which filed for bankruptcy protection last August, has asked the court for permission to auction some of its shallow-water wells.

A deep freeze named Brutus hammered North Dakota with a pre-winter force in November, knocking down oil and gas production from all-time record levels the previous month, according to the latest statistics from the state Department of Mineral Resources (DMR).

McMoRan Exploration Co. remains stymied in efforts to unlock production from the Davy Jones No. 1 well in the Gulf of Mexico’s shallow waters after operations designed to unblock perforations using a propellant stimulation gun had “limited success.” The New Orleans-based producer now plans to reperforate the well on South Marsh Island Block 230 with electric wireline using tubing guns. Davy Jones, which McMoRan operates, is part of an ultra-deep natural gas structure encompassing 20,000 acres on four blocks of the Outer Continental Shelf. In late November McMoRan said it still was struggling to bring the prospective No. 1 well online, which was supposed to be flowing 50 MMcf/d last summer (see Daily GPI, Nov. 28). McMoRan holds a 63.4% working interest with Energy XXI (15.8%); JX Nippon Oil Exploration (Gulf) Ltd. (12%); and Moncrief Offshore LLC (8.8%). In early December Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., whose top executives also run McMoRan, agreed to to buy the company, as well as Plains Exploration & Production Co., for $9 billion (see Daily GPI, Dec. 6).

McMoRan Exploration Co., which has kept investors dangling with promises that its Davy Jones natural gas discovery in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) would be flowing 50 MMcf/d by now, saw its shares plunge last week after the company admitted that it still is struggling to bring the prospective well online.

McMoRan Exploration Co., which has kept investors dangling with promises that its Davy Jones natural gas discovery in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) would be flowing 50 MMcf/d by now, saw its shares plunge by more than 20% on Monday and another 15%-plus early Tuesday after the company admitted that it still is struggling to bring the prospective well online.