Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Bernell McGehee on January 22, 2014 at 18:50

Okay...forget the directional driller comment...the issue has nothing to do with directional drilling.

The latest (and hopefully most accurate) info on the Lawson is it appears they lost circulation in the hole, then pumped in a "squeeze" (concreted section between the walls of the drilled hole, as best I can understand), then drilled out the concrete.

Hopefully, they will be able to get back to regular drilling soon, BUT, things are still up in the air.

We shall see soon enough.

Permalink Reply by Joe Aldridge on January 23, 2014 at 0:23

Hey Bernell,

If they are in Shale then they are in a very fractured zone to have lost circulation. I would assume that they are in the "rubble".

Permalink Reply by Bernell McGehee on January 23, 2014 at 4:35

No. 

This had nothing to do with the rubble zone, I'm told.

That was my first thought, too.

Story I'm hearing is they had too much loss on the circulation to keep drilling.

I'm not sure why this would occur...all kinds of theories by folks as ignorant as I am out there.

At any rate, they decided to put in casing and concrete it in place, then come back with a smaller bit and continue on.

Not sure why all this took 2 weeks, but that's about what it took...I'm thinking they tried some other solutions, then had to get the casing on site, put it in, concrete it, wait for it to dry, drill through the concrete, then come back out, change bits and go back down.

As I typed that last paragraph, I realized...that all took time...at any rate...that's the story I'm hearing (Along with some conjecture on my part.)

Drilling this morning (multiple sources), so, I'm assuming that regardless of what happened, the drama is behind us....for now...

Permalink Reply by Joe Aldridge on January 23, 2014 at 5:27

Shale has no porosity or permeability until fracked. They would have to have porosity or fractures for there to be a mud loss situation with no returns. 

Permalink Reply by tc on January 23, 2014 at 5:37

This is from Goodrich's last conference from Kirk's site.  Could any of the below issues cause these problems?

-not seeing the sloughing issues during drilling as seen in the original wells; drilling high pressure and naturally fractured rock
-completions: wells frac easily; struggling with drilling out plugs due to high pressure and that the reservoir wants to flow on you due to natural fractures; have made changes that will have a material difference on the completion side

Permalink Reply by Joe Aldridge on January 23, 2014 at 5:41

So they are in the "rubble". If they have loss circulation then the Shale has to have a great amount of natural fractures.

Permalink Reply by Rock Man on January 23, 2014 at 6:51

Lost circulation may have been tied to the upper Tuscaloosa sands (i.e. sand section sitting above the TMS). Some good P&P rock here - if MW got too high, may have lost circulation into these lower pressure(?) reservoirs.

Just another idea on this

Permalink Reply by Joe Aldridge on January 23, 2014 at 8:26

If its loss circulation in the Tusc. Sands then I would say it is a directional driller problem like Bernell originally said. 

Permalink Reply by Steve on January 23, 2014 at 6:42

Anyone out here know whether the rubble zone is throughout the entire TMS or is it a local issue?

Permalink Reply by Bernell McGehee on January 23, 2014 at 9:51

I suppose no one knows for sure, but the reports from Goodrich are that it is consistent and throughout the TMS.

Permalink Reply by Rock Man on January 23, 2014 at 9:57

The strat equivalent interval of the "rubble zone" appears to be consistent thru the section in the SW Miss / adjacent La Parish TMS area. However, as is the case in many formations. there is variability as to quality and I am sure "fracture presence" across the area. 

Permalink Reply by Pville on January 20, 2014 at 7:02

I have a general question for anyone with insight.  If a producing well exists on a property and the mineral lease expires, what happens? Does the oil company have to release? If so, will it be at the same rate?

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