--> Abstract: Summary of Oil and Gas Drilling Activities in Utah, 1991, by C. D. Morgan and T. C. Chidsey, Jr.; #91017 (1992).

Datapages, Inc.Print this page

ABSTRACT: Summary of Oil and Gas Drilling Activities in Utah, 1991

MORGAN, C. D., and T. C. CHIDSEY, JR., Utah Geological Survey, Salt Lake City, UT

A total of 154 exploration and development wells were completed in Utah during 1991, a 48% increase over 1990. The majority of the wildcat wells were drilled along established trends or structures, but several wells evaluated relatively untested areas. Most drilling activity was in the Paradox and Uinta basins resulting in a number of wildcat discoveries.

The Columbia Gas Development Kane Springs Federal 1-27 discovery in the northern Paradox basin prompted the hottest new horizontal drilling play in the Rockies. The well tested 914 BOPD and 290 MCFGPD out of fractured, organic-rich Cane Creek shale in the Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation. One additional wildcat discovery and two dry holes were completed in the Cane Creek. A total of 16 other locations, designed to test the Cane Creek, have been announced since the completion of 1-27.

In the southern Paradox basin, the search for algal mounds in the Desert Creek and Ismay zones of the Paradox Formation continued to be the dominant play; 15 wildcat wells were drilled resulting in six new field discoveries. Flow rates as high as 1167 BOPD and 723 MCFGPD were reported from the Chuska Energy Company Blue Hogan 1J-1 discovery.

In the Uinta basin, most exploration was done adjacent to established fields. Wildcat discoveries expanded the production area of the lower Green River Formation (Eocene) Monument Butte trend and in the Wasatch Formation (Paleocene/Eocene), southeast of the Natural Buttes field.

Other significant oil and gas activity included testing (1) a deep subthrust structure in the Pineview field, (2) the Wasatch Formation along the north flank of the Uinta Mountains, (3) the Green River Formation in the extreme western part of the Uinta basin, and (4) the Blackhawk Formation (Cretaceous) in the Wasatch Plateau for coalbed methane.

A total of 121 development wells were completed in Utah during 1991. Extensive activity took place in the Natural Buttes, Altamont, Bluebell, Mexican Hat, and Greater Aneth fields. Two slant-hole (high-angle) wells were completed in the Duchesne and Bluebell fields. An uphole recompletion established the first Twin Creek Limestone (Jurassic) production in the Anschutz Ranch East field.

 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91017©1992 AAPG Rocky Mountain Section Meeting, Casper, Wyoming, September 13-16, 1992 (2009)