Zephyr Energy has well prepared the 36-2 LNW-CC state at its flagship project in the Paradox Basin, Utah, USA for production. In mid-January, the well crossed a major natural fracture network in the Cane Creek Reservoir that caused a significant inflow of hydrocarbons into the well. This influx was safely managed and controlled, subsequently allowing an additional 132 feet of drilling into the fractured and productive Cane Creek reservoir, at which point the company elected to run casing production at the total depth of the well.
Operations to run 7-inch production casing were successful, the company reported in its recent update. The well has been made fully safe and the CWC Ironhand 118 drilling rig has been launched. The company is now ready to begin production testing as well as complete the fractured interval of the Cane Creek reservoir.
In addition to short-term testing, running the 7-inch casing string gives the company the option to return to the well to drill an extended lateral at a later date. A later lateral would allow the company to test for the presence of natural fractures at this location within the Cane Creek reservoir and also allow the well to be completed by hydraulic stimulation through a longer lateral if Zephyr wants to increase the well’s productivity in the future
Initial results indicate that the well penetrated a naturally folded and fractured Cane Creek reservoir, features that have been highly productive in other Cane Creek wells. Pore pressure analysis suggests the well encountered very high reservoir overpressure, with estimated formation pressures around 9,300 pounds per square inch.
The well further delineates the presence of natural gas and condensate within a large structural compartment and in a new location within Zephyr’s surface and 3D seismic coverage, providing further confirmation of Zephyr’s model for hydrocarbons in its place on the entire position of the surface.
“It is worth noting that the previous operators drilled three vertical wells on this surface, only one of which was productive. Zephyr has now drilled two wells in the Cane Creek reservoir, both of which appear to be productive, highlighting the benefits of using modern 3D seismic data and drilling with modern oilfield technologies, practices and services said Colin Harrington, Zephyr Chief Executive.
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