The Geological and Engineering Characteristics of the Reservoir and Prior Exploration Activities in the Unit Area. State regulation requires that a unit must encompass the minimum area required to include all or part of one or more oil or gas reservoirs, or potential hydrocarbon accumulations. 11 AAC 83.356(a). Division technical staff evaluated all data provided by Pioneer to determine if the proposed unit area met those criteria. The NE Storms Unit encompasses seven two-by-two mile tracts that lie one-two miles southwest of the PBU and 0.5 miles northwest of the Hemi Springs Unit 3 well. The primary exploration target is the Ivishak sandstone, with the possibility of encountering other hydrocarbon-bearing sandstones. No xxxxx currently exist within the proposed unit area. Prospects consist of structural closures in the Ellesmerian that have been defined by 3D seismic mapping. The principle 3D seismic coverage for the unit area is provided by BP Exploration Alaska, Inc.’s (BPXA) HS96 survey (MLUP permit 95-014-01). Pioneer submitted relevant seismic strike and dip lines over the prospect along with a top structure map and isopach map and a cross-section through the unit area. Pioneer requested that all pertinent geological and geophysical data be held confidential under AS 38.05.035 (a)(9)(C). This geological, geophysical and engineering discussion is limited to publicly available well, test, geological, geophysical, and engineering information within and adjacent to the NE Storms Unit. The initial phase of exploration in the vicinity of the proposed NE Storms Unit began in 1969 with the drilling of two xxxxx with Cretaceous exploration objectives. The first well, Mobil Hemi State 3-09-11 (Sec. 3, T9N, R11E, U.M.), approximately six miles to the west of the proposed NE Storms Unit, was drilled to a total measured depth of 6,032’, bottoming in the Middle Cretaceous Brookian section. Although conventional cores were attempted in both the West Sak and Brookian sections, only 13 feet of core was recovered in the Lower Brookian section. Conventional sidewall cores were taken in the West Sak interval, recovering oil saturated sands with fair to good shows. The well was plugged and abandoned without testing. The second well, ARCO Toolik Fed 2 (Sec. 5, T8N, R12E, U.M.), located approximately nine miles southwest of the NE Storms Unit, was drilled to a total measured depth of 6,032’, bottoming in the Kingak formation. A thin (~10’ thick) Kuparuk “C” sandstone was present. Thirty one sidewall cores were recovered between the intervals of 2,330’ and 7,698’, and there were some m...
The Geological and Engineering Characteristics of the Reservoir and Prior Exploration Activities in the Unit Area. State regulation requires that a unit must encompass the minimum area required to include all or part of one or more oil or gas reservoirs, or potential hydrocarbon accumulations. 11 AAC 83.356(a). Division technical staff evaluated all data provided by Xxxxxx Range, and all pertinent public available data to determine if the proposed unit area met those criteria. The preliminary data and information supplied by Xxxxxx Range includes geologic cross sections, structure maps, and electric log analyses, but no interpreted seismic data. Xxxxxx Range acquired the Whiskey Gulch Prospect and leasehold from Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (APC) and is still in the process of securing licenses for the pertinent 3D seismic data covering the proposed Unit, the Resolution 3D data acquired by APC and ConocoPhillips, and will supply the required seismic interpretation to the Division on or before November 1, 2006, the date by which they must commit to the first Whiskey Gulch well. The proposed Whiskey Gulch Unit encompasses approximately 30,651 acres and is immediately south of the existing Kuparuk River Unit (KRU). The earliest exploration in the vicinity of the proposed Unit occurred with the drilling of the Toolik Fed xxxxx by ARCO. The Toolik Fed #2 (Sec 5, T8N, R12E, U.M.) was drilled in 1969 to a total depth (TD) of 8,700’ measured depth (MD) and though there were no cores or tests, there were some minor shows and a thin (approx. 12’) Kuparuk sand is apparent on logs at 7,846’ MD. The Toolik Fed #3 (Sec 4, T8N, R9E, U.M.) was drilled the following year to a TD of 6,020’ MD (well above the Kuparuk level), also without cores or tests, but with minor oil shows. The next phase of exploration drilling occurred adjacent to the proposed Unit as part of a Kuparuk Field delineation program by the KRU Working Interest Owners from 1974 – 1985. Three xxxxx in this phase were West Sak B-10, West Sak 13, and West Sak 26. The West Sak B-10 (Sec 23, T10N, R9E, U.M.) well, located some six miles to the north of the Whiskey Gulch Unit area, was drilled in 1978 to a TD of 7,626’ MD. This well encountered shows in both the West Sak/Xxxxxxxx Bluff and the Kuparuk intervals. The primary Kuparuk target was intercepted at 6,402’ MD and consisted of a very thin C interval (aprox. 23’) underlain by distal A interval (approx. 100’). The C and A sands from 6,402-6,528’ MD were perforated and flow tested no formation fluids to the surface. The West Sak/Xxxxxxxx Bluff interval in the well was t...
