Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on July 21, 2013 at 5:22

Wildhorse's develoment in Lincoln Parish illustrates quite well that horizontal drilling is not alwys the best means to efficiently produce a given zone or interval.  Where an interval has characteristics that allow hydrocarbons to adequately flow to perforations in a wellbore, vertical completions are the better option.  Where an interval is too"tight" (low permeability), horizontal completions are the better option.  Wildhorse utilizes both depending on the specific petrophysical characteristics of a location.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by obed w odom on July 21, 2013 at 12:11

The Wildhorse vertical completion reported above (245968) may have been the better option at that location, but it still seems to be a marginal well, with only 432 mcf gas and no oil or condensate. The Wildhorse horizontal reported above (245776) is producing 40 times as much gas, plus 195 barrels per day of condensate.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on July 21, 2013 at 12:49

Location, location, location.  Horizontal wells are not the panacea some seem to think. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by tony allen on July 21, 2013 at 13:14

I'll take the horizontal Obed

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by BirdDawg, plain ole' idiot on July 22, 2013 at 1:23

Wildhorse is drilling several verticals they refer to as "test wells".  This is generally how they determine where or if to drill a horizontal. Some of these wells they only preforate 6 or 8 feet of the formation, but I seriously doubt if it is indicative of the wells ultimate potential.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on July 22, 2013 at 2:34

Since 2012 Wildhorse has 33 well permits for CV or LCV not counting one that expired.  Of that total 18 are vertical completions or permits and 15 are horizontal.  Some of the verticals are cased so that the company has the option to convert to a horizontal completion and some are not. Wildhorse is a capable operator with 4 years operating experience specifically in the Terryville and Hico Knowles fields.  The fact that they choose a completion, vertical or horizontal, based on location is about as good an example as exists in N LA that a horizontal well isn't always the best choice even when comparing the same zone(s) in the same general area.  And that the specifics of the reservoir determine which type of completion is best suited.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by BirdDawg, plain ole' idiot on July 22, 2013 at 13:08

Wildhorse drills verticals to know the best spot for their horizontals, Skip. Pretty much all of the CV in their area lends itself to horizontals. Sure, they drill quite a few verticals. That is why they have the luck they do with their horizontals.

• ▶ Reply