ABSTRACT: Redevelopment of the Deep Tuscaloosa Gas Trend; A 3-D Seismic Case History of Judge Digby Field
SHEPPARD, FRANK C., III, DAVID N. WRIGHT, and PATRICK L. MCGRIEVY
In October 1996, Amoco Production Company completed the Parlange No.5 well with an initial flow rate of 18 MMCF/ day and 525 barrels of condensate. This was the first new well in Judge Digby field since 1985 and is part of Amoco's large redevelopment program in the Deep Tuscaloosa Gas Trend. The Parlange No.5 is currently the deepest commercial production in the state of Louisiana, with perforations from 21,350 ft-21,500 ft.
Judge Digby was discovered in 1977 by Chevron and has produced 150 BCF from the upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa formation. Structurally, Judge Digby field is a classic rollover anticline on the downthrown side of a major east-west trending growth fault. Stratigraphically, the producing sands represent a fluvial dominated deltaic paleoenvironment. The reservoirs are interpreted to be an aggradation of shallow marine facies of late Cenomanian age.
3-D seismic has been the key to the latest success in the Tuscaloosa Trend. Amoco's success rate in the trend is 100% (13 for 13) since beginning the overall trend-wide redevelopment which started at Port Hudson field in 1994. In 1995, Amoco acquired a 100 square mile survey over Judge Digby field. Interpretation of the survey led to previously unseen fault blocks and stratigraphic details that may lead to the best reservoir rock and production rates. Additionally, deeper untested reservoirs were identified, that were previously unseen on even the best 2-D seismic data. This case history proves once again that new technology applied in old fields can yield big payoffs for those willing to invest in it.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90941©1997 GCAGS 47th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana