Apache boosts Alpine High exploration and production in Delaware basin

Apache Prepares To Boost Production At Delaware’s Alpine High

Apache, John Christmann, production, Alpine High, Permian, Delaware, completions, oil and gas, Tim Sullivan

Optimization efforts are leading to strong performance in the Delaware Basin play, Apache executives say.

Velda Addison Senior Editor, Digital News Group Hart Energy

Thursday, August 2, 2018 - 2:09pm

With completion design changes in hand, spacing and pattern tests underway and costs down, Apache Corp. (NYSE: APA) said production growth is entering the acceleration phase at its Permian Basin Alpine High development.

The Houston-based company reported production at Alpine High jumped 23% to average 32,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) in second-quarter 2018, compared to a year earlier. By the end of July, production had already climbed by 70% to 54,000 boe/d as optimization continues.

“For 2018 our Alpine High production is on track to achieve 45,000 boe/d, which is the midpoint of our previous guidance,” Apache CEO John Christmann said on a conference call Aug. 2. “The benefits of pad drilling coupled with continual progress on well costs and well productivity are driving a positive bias to our production outlook for next year. As a result, we anticipate that 2019 production from Alpine High will trend toward the high end of 85,000 to 100,000 boe/d guidance range that was established in February.”

The emerging oil and gas play sits in the Delaware Basin, mostly in Reeves County, Texas. The company announced the discovery in September 2016, estimating 75 trillion cubic feet of rich gas and 3 billion barrels of oil in place in the Barnett and Woodford formations plus potential in the shallower Pennsylvania, Bone Springs and Wolfcamp formations. Apache puts its drilling inventory for the play at more than 5,000 wells, but Christmann called the inventory count “conservative” based on results of landing zone and spacing tests.

The 2018 Alpine High program includes pad and pattern development tests, geographic delineation and acreage retention drilling, Christmann said, noting the move to large pad drilling. A steep production increase is on course for third- and fourth-quarter 2018 following a completion ramp-up that Apache said is in progress. Plans are for the company to place about 90 wells on production this year as well as conduct tests on the southern flank to delineate the play.

So far, optimization efforts appear to be paying off based on recent Alpine High well results shared in the company’s operations supplement.

Blackfoot, a 12-well pad that is testing 660-ft spacing and three Woodford landing zones on a half section, flow tested at 99 million cubic feet of gas per day (MMcf/d) and 200 barrels of oil per day, and is improving, said Tim Sullivan, executive vice president of operations support for Apache.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Blackfoot…12 well pad on 320 acres…!!!..I gotta go check this out.

A lot of Apache leases must be up for renewal by early 2019.

Yes, there will be a rush to get wells drilled to hold the leases with production…and that’s why Apache is ramping their drilling program up.

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Mine is up in November. Anxiously waiting…

My lease stipulates they need to do “something” within 160 days of the lease expiring.

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Tracey, My lease with Apache is also up in November Block 13 Section 59. I am also wondering what they are going to do?

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I don’t even know who to call to inquire about it.

Do you have contact info for the landman who signed you up? Good place to start. Also, if Apache holds your lease, go to their website. There is a link to owners info. Call the office and they can help you.

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Melissa, Good advice—-thank you

Finally got ahold of someone at Apache regarding our upcoming lease expiration. This is the reply I got…

At this time, it is APA’s direction to extend the lease. We are evaluating the area by the drilling of wells around this area so we will need extra time to study our findings.

traces – do you care to indicate where your lease is located. Thanks – Later – Buzz

Hi Buzz- See below… Sec.3 Block C-15/C-14 Sec.1 Block C-15 Sec.6 Block 13 Sec. 25 Block C-15 Sec 2 Block C-15 Sec. 27 C-15 Sec 26 C-15 Sec 17 Block 55 Sec 18 Block 55

– I couldn’t resist this topper… Mont Blanc pad is up to 26 wells/permits and growing on 734 acre SEC 24 BLK 57 TWP 7 T&P, A-5615. Later – Buzz

Thanks, Buzz! That certainly supports my contention that Apache is ramping up their drilling operations along the FM2903 corridor and around Toyah in Reeves county. I have an idea Primexx and Noble are about to do something similar in Block 13 around Sections 182-184, and east along county roads 331 and 112.

, Reeves county, Tx :sunglasses::rofl::rainbow::stars::ribbon:

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