Abstract: Recovery of Bypassed Oil in the Dundee Formation Using Horizontal Drains

WOOD, J. R., W. D. PENNINGTON, and W. B. HARRISON

The goal of this project was to demonstrate that oil production from aging fields in the Dundee Formation (Devonian) of Michigan can be substantially increased, perhaps restored to near-original production levels, by utilizing horizontal drain wells. A consortium consisting of two universities, and industry partner, and the U.S. Department of Energy drilled a demonstration well, the TOW 1-3, in October 1995 at Crystal field in Montcalm County, MI, and reached the Dundee at 3,185 ft. A vertical well cored over the productive interval showed that about a 12-ft thick oil zone was present. A horizontal leg was then drilled and after drilling 100 ft horizontally encountered strong oil flow. The well was completed and has produced over 40,000 bbl with zero water cut from October 1995 to the present. The success of this demonstration well let to permitting and drilling over 20 new Dundee wells.

In addition to the Crystal field, a total of 27 Dundee fields were characterized. Well logs, formation tops, other well data, drilling and production data, and rock samples from the Dundee Formation have been assembled and input into a database. These data can be accessed at: http://www.geo.edu/svl/.

Two more horizontal wells have since been drilled at Crystal field. These wells are producing only about 10 bbl oil per day with 90% water cut. A post-mortem study is under way to monitor these horizontal wells and to determine why they contrast so strongly with the TOW 1-3.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90939©1997 AAPG Eastern Section and TSOP, Lexington, Kentucky