Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Captain on January 25, 2012 at 11:09

Heard that the well production has fallen off and they are going to try artificial lift on all three Anadarko wells in the area.  The rig they were using in Avoyelles and Point Coupee has moved to East Texas.

Permalink Reply by JMan on January 25, 2012 at 11:15

that isn't good.

Permalink Reply by Elise on January 25, 2012 at 14:07

http://avoyellestoday.com/view/full_story/17269913/article-Rabalais...?

Is the use of artificial lift a bad sign for these wells?

Permalink Reply by Joe Aldridge on January 26, 2012 at 2:06

optimistic,

No, its not good. Bringing shale drilling techniques into the Austin Chalk was never a good idea. That's what I've said from the beginning. The AC is difficult to drill and produce. You can't drill laterals over 5000 ft and not plug the formation with mud. You can't produce a well at 3000 bbls per day and not collapse the formation unless you sand/gravel pack it. This is what I've said all along and now they have killed the AC in this area and are moving on to other prospects else where. This is exactly what I was afraid of from the beginning.

Permalink Reply by littleasy on January 26, 2012 at 5:53

Joe,

Is the problem technical or simply economic?  In other words, why would APC make these mistakes 20 years after UPRC and others came to the area, especially after APC aquired UPRC and their data?  There are all types of "intelligence" about this well, from very + to highly -, but I would think that misinformation is part of the mix.  Time will tell.

Permalink Reply by Joe Aldridge on January 26, 2012 at 12:28

littleasy,

I think its both. If you look at the history of acquisitions, the acquiring group purges the acquired company of personnel. So I would think that the management of APC purged the people and technology at UPR. Then they had the idea that they could bring shale drilling technology to the AC and all would be fine. That won't work. The two formations are completely different. In the case of a sand or shale formation you have a matrix that allows you to build a "wall cake" as you drill and the mud does not infiltrate the formation. In the case of Chalk with natural fractures you have a formation that has fractures with voids filled with oil, gas and salt water. The more mud you pump while drilling the more will infiltrate the formation. Once the the mud is in the formation it starts to set up. You now have a formation that is "mud logged" and unless you have a way to get the mud out quickly there will be no way to clear it. This again has been my concern from the beginning. You have a bunch of "hot dog" Texans that come in here and ruin the area and the formation for future development. That's my opinion. Also, I stated some time ago that you can not pull AC at 3000 bbls a day unless you gravel/sand pack it. AC is "mobile". Its not fixed and will move and collapse on the well bore at those rates. I blame the Dept. of Natural Resources for allowing companies to produce these wells at rates higher than 1200 bbls per day with out gravel/sand packing them. I'm GLAD that APC does not have my lease and won't be drilling on my property.

Permalink Reply by Robert on January 26, 2012 at 12:33

APC Joe?

 

 

Permalink Reply by William C. Morrison on January 26, 2012 at 12:44

APC is Anadarko Petroliem Corp.  UPC was Union Pacific Railroad out of Fort Worth and they were absorbed by Anadarko years ago.  They evidently kept some of the records as they went about leasing in Pointe Coupee from the same land owners.  So basically, we have been leased four times by the same people, just the names changed.  As of yet, they have not drilled so I am thinking they know something we do not about the lay of the land below the surface.

Permalink Reply by Joe Aldridge on January 27, 2012 at 3:29

William,

You are close. But UPR is actually Union Pacific Resources. Union Pacific Railroad started UPR because of all the land they owned under and along the tracks headed West. It was then sold to Anadarko in the past 3 or 4 years.

Permalink Reply by littleasy on January 26, 2012 at 14:52

Joe,
Maybe they will learn from this and the geologic engineers will workout the optimum conditions to drill and produce the CENLA AC.

Permalink Reply by lulu on January 25, 2012 at 11:48

Captain, what three wells are you referring to?

Permalink Reply by Captain on January 26, 2012 at 6:46

Dominque, LaCour, Rabalais.  The formation appears to be full of oil.  Just not enough pressure to get it to the surface.  I do not think Anadarko is done with the area, but I do think they are done in the immediate future.  I think they are going to go back to the drawing board and maybe try another technique.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• …
• 9
• 10
• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14
• Next ›
• Page