Despite the downturn in commodity prices, the Greater Rockies has maintained a steady flow of E&P activity.

The Southern Ute Indian Tribe recently proposed future shale oil and gas exploration and development on its reservation in La Plata, Montezuma and Archuleta counties in Colorado.

The proposal includes 1,534 horizontal wells (1,430 Mancos Shale, 40 Mancos/Niobrara Shale, 40 in Lewis Shale and 24 in Paradox Shale) from 352 multi-well drillpads between 2018 and 2038, with a peak development of 100 wells per year. The project would involve development across the entire reservation, where the tribe owns mineral rights, land rights or both.

The project also calls for multi-well fluid management facilities, roads and 600 miles of new pipelines. Most of the water needed would come from produced water from existing wells, and the water would be recycled to the extent possible.

According to IHS, a Uinta Basin proposal by Crescent Point Energy Corp. (NYSE: CPG) would drill up to 3,925 new oil and gas wells in 155,110-acres in Utah’s Duchesne and Uintah counties. Targets include Uinta, Bridger Shale, Green River, Douglas Creek, Castle Peak, Wasatch and Mesaverde.

Crescent Point’s proposal includes roads; 693 miles of pipelines; five saltwater disposal wells and produced water treatment facilities; 20 central tank batteries; four gas processing plants and oil storage areas. All proposed activities would occur on federal, tribal trust, allottee, state and privately-owned or administered lands and mineral leases.

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1. Black Hills Plateau Production: 5/9/16

Black Hills Plateau Production LLC, based in Denver, has completed three horizontal Niobrara-Piceance Basin producers from a common drillpad in Section 17-9s-98w of Mesa County, Colo.

The #20D17998 WHF DHS7C flowed 7 million cubic feet (MMcf) of gas and 2.552 million barrels (Mbbl) of water per day. It was drilled southward to 16,418 feet, 5,736 feet true vertical, and bottomed in Section 20-9s-98w. It was tested after 44-stage fracturing at 6,540 feet to 15,462 feet.

The #19D17998 WHF DHS1C flowed 6 MMcf of gas and 1.904 Mbbl of water per day. It was drilled to the south-southwest to 15,538 feet, 5,627 feet true vertical, and bottomed in Section 19-9s-98w. It is producing from 6,750 feet to 15,365 feet and was tested after 30-stage fracturing with a flowing casing pressure of 1,159 pounds per square inch (psi).

The #20D17998 WHF DHS5C is producing 3 MMcf of gas and 191 bbl of water per day from a lateral extending south-southeastward. It was drilled to 15,794 feet, 5,751 feet true vertical, and bottomed in Section 29-9s-98w. It was tested following 42-stage fracturing at 6,740 feet to 15,647 feet.

2. Peak Powder River Resources: 5/5/16

On the southern flank of the Powder River Basin, Peak Powder River Resources LLC has completed a horizontal Turner exploratory test that initially flowed 2.08 Mbbl of oil, 3.695 MMcf of gas and 3.18 Mbbl of water per day.

The #1-1TH Nine Mile is in Section 1-42n-75w of Campbell County, Wyo. Production is from a horizontal lateral extending from 11,999 feet northward to 15,771 feet with a true vertical depth of 11,790 feet. It was tested on a 24/64-inch choke following 14 stages of fracturing between 12,302 feet and 15,669 feet. The flowing tubing pressure was 3,450 psi.

Peak Powder River is based in Durango, Colo.

3. Caerus Washco: 5/4/16

Denver-based Caerus Washco LLC has been granted drilling permits for 13 extended-reach horizontal tests in the Denver-Julesburg Basin, according to IHS.

The wells will be drilled from a common drillpad in Section 18-5n-60w in Morgan County, Colo. Drilling will target the Niobrara and Codell oil zones.

The wells will be drilled to total depths between 15,696 feet and 15,996 feet, with true vertical depths between 5,834 feet and 6,105 feet. The bottomhole locations are to the south in Section 19-5n-60w.

The planned ventures are: #18-560-0258XAH Wickstrom; #18-560-0258XBH Wickstrom; #18-560-0258XCDH Wickstrom; #18-560-0258XCH Wickstrom; #18-560-0359XAH Wickstrom; #18-560-0359XAH2 Wickstrom; #18-560-0359XBH Wickstrom; #18-560-0359XBH2 Wickstrom; #18-560-0359XCH Wickstrom; 18-560-0460XAH Wickstrom; #18-560-0460XBH Wickstrom; #18-560-0460XCDH Wickstrom; and #18-560-0460XCH Wickstrom.

4. Chesapeake: 4/20/16

Chesapeake Energy Corp. (NYSE: CHK) announced a Niobrara Shale discovery in the Powder River Basin, by its subsidiary, Chesapeake Operating Inc.

The Niobrara discovery flowed 1.306 Mbbl of 40.2-degree-gravity oil, 1.296 MMcf of gas and 960 bbl of water per day. The #32-34-67 USA A 1H Barton Unit is in Section 32-34n-67w in Converse County, Wyo., on the eastern flank of the Powder River Basin.

Production is from a horizontal lateral extending from 7,684 feet northward to 19,480 feet. The well bottomed in Section 20-34n-67w, and the true vertical depth is 9,509 feet. It was fractured in 47 stages at 9,803 feet to 19,375 feet.

Chesapeake's headquarters are in Oklahoma City.

5. SM Energy: 4/12/16

On the southeastern flank of the Powder River Basin, Denver-based SM Energy Co. (NYSE: SM) has completed a horizontal exploratory test.

The #3976-26-25-1FH Paddy's Irish-Federal initially flowed 1.534 Mbbl of 39.6-degree-gravity oil, 1.826 MMcf of gas and 1.71 Mbbl of water per day from Frontier.

Located in Section 26-39n-76w of Converse County, Wyo., the venture is producing from a horizontal lateral extending from 12,739 feet eastward to 22,218 feet. The well bottomed in Section 25-39n-76w at a true vertical depth of 12,744 feet. It was tested on a 40/64-inch choke and was fracture stimulated in 30 stages.

6. SandRidge: 4/11/16

Oklahoma City-based SandRidge Energy Inc.’s subsidiary, SandRidge Exploration & Production LLC, has applied for drilling permits for five horizontal Niobrara tests in Colorado's North Park Basin, according to IHS.

The wells will be drilled from a multiwell pad in Section 17-7n-80w of Jackson County:

  • The #0780 4-8H Mutual has a planned depth of 12,433 feet at a bottomhole location in Section 8-7n-80w;
  • The #0780 3-18H Hebron has a planned depth of 12,281 feet at a bottomhole location in Section 18-7n-80w;
  • The #0780 3-8H Mutual has a planned depth of 11,971 feet at a bottomhole location in Section 8-7n-80w;
  • The #0780 2-8H Mutual has a planned depth of 11,853 feet at a bottomhole location in Section 8-7n-80w; and
  • The #0780 4-7H Hebron has a planned depth of 12,117 feet at a bottomhole location in Section 7-7n-80w.

7. Alta Mesa: 3/15/16

A 5,000-foot wildcat has been scheduled by Houston-based Alta Mesa Holdings LP’s subsidary, Alta Mesa Services LP, in Idaho's Boise Basin.

The objectives of #1-16 State were not disclosed, but presumably include Pliocene sand gas zones, according to IHS. The venture will be in Section 16-8n-3w of Payette County in a non-producing township east of Willow Field and northeast of Hamilton Field.

The two gas fields were discovered in 2011 by Bridge Resources Corp. and Paramax Resources Ltd. and are the first commercial discoveries of oil and gas in Idaho. The gross gas-in-place contingent resource estimates for Willow Field range from 88 Bcf to 137 Bcf.

For information contact Larry Prado, activity editor, at lprado@hartenergy.com.