High Pressure Air Injection from the Cedar Creek Anticline

Gene R. Carlson
Continental Resources, Inc., Enid, OK

Continental Resources, Inc. (CRI) has been in business for over 40 years. Harold Hamm began the business in 1967 and has continuously built it with application of high tech methods, including seismic, horizontal drilling, and hydraulic fracturing. The company went public on the NYSE in May of 2007, and has done well since the IPO. CRI is active in several key areas of exploration, including the Montana Bakken, North Dakota Bakken, Woodford Shale, Trenton-Black River and other emerging plays. The Cedar Hills field in southwestern North Dakota was brought on by the combination of horizontal drilling, and CRI immediately employed a unique application of High Pressure Air Injection (HPAI), which is a secondary/EOR method proven in the Buffalo field since 1982. This talk will highlight the history of HPAI within the Buffalo field and show how CRI has expanded the application to its Cedar Hills North Unit. The Red River B zone is a homogeneous, blanket of carbonate reservoir that has a unique blend of porosity, permeability and fluid saturation, which, combined with the depth and temperature, create a unique setting for and in-situ combustion project. This project is under increased density drilling to go to 160 acre well density. Its production is still increasing, and it is expected to peak at about 17,000 bbls oil per day in early 2009. The field is 45 % of CRI's reserve base, and a similar fraction of current production.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90092©2009 AAPG Rocky Mountain Section, July 9-11, 2008, Denver, Colorado