Abstract: New Fish in an old Pool

Jacob D. (Jake) Eisel, Michael L. Hendricks

In our endeavors to find new reserves, we sometimes overlook that which is closest to us. At prospect initiation, West Greene Field, Renville County, North Dakota had three marginal wells that were drilled in the 1980's. Oil production was from the Bluell interval of the Mission Canyon Formation (Mississipian). In an attempt to extend the field, cores were examined, thin sections from cutting samples were analyzed, and a geologic model was constructed.

The geologic model and petrophysical data led to the acquisition of Three-D seismic and the selection of several drillable locations. To date, four new wells have been drilled in the field, three producing wells and one dry hole. Production from the three wells is over 450 BOPD, at a depth of 5400 ft.

The reservoir is an oolitic and peloidal packstone and grainstone that is trapped updip by a facies change from limestone to impermeable dolomite and anhydrite. The reservoir is present along a southwest plunging structural nose with no discernable closure.

Integration of subsurfave rock data and Three-D seismic can yield significant returns on investment, especially in producing areas that many consider mature.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90952©1996 AAPG Rocky Mountain Section Meeting, Billings, Montana