Revisiting a dry hole from the 60's

General Mineral Rights Discussion
1

Greetings.

There ia a dry hole from 1968 on property that I currently have mineral rights to. With today's technology in horitontaol drilling, how likely would it be revisit that site? Or has the hole been filled with concrete and another hole would need to be drilled?

I guess what I'm asking is, is it easier to redo a well or start new?

Thanks

Brian

2

Brian, sometimes they re-enter a hole, drill it deeper or horizontal, it can be a savings but the verticle part of a horizontal well is the relatively cheap part, that can probably be drilled in a week and the lateral can take a month and the fracturing and stimulation that is not done in the verticle part of the horizontal well will cost as much or more than drilling the horizontal. Think of the verticle part probably being a good bit less in cost than the horizontal part. As for drilling a Bakken well where there were alot of dry wells before, I have one drilled 2008 that shares the same spacing with seven dry wells, including the Angus Kennedy 1 that was drilled in 1958, and it's a good well.

3

Thank you!

4

Good Question Brian and answer R W! Thanks!! I've wonder the same thing about a well that lasted about fourteen years until, it was plugged back in the early nineties and now that Devon has gone in for it pooling, spacing, orders its crossed my mind a time or two (or three, haha) if they'd try to re-enter the same vertical hole, but drill horizontally too. Guess we'' have to wait a see!

5

Brian,

More important than the cost saving for reentering an old well, is the geologic information gained from drilling and producing the original well and how current technology can exploit that geologic information. Devon is one company that constantly reviews new geologic data and adapts it to new technology, particularly in multiple pay zone areas like the Anadarko Basin of Oklahoma and Texas.

Keep track of new wells around you and be certain that the good area operators know about your old well.

6

Gary, wouldn't the Oil Co. do some research first and know about all the old wells before, they plan to drill a new well?

7

Absolutely!! A promoter may acquire an old well lease with the idea of selling ice to eskimos without doing the proper research and thereby tie up minerals at the expense of the mineral owner so beware of who you deal with.

GLH

Kaye said:

Gary, wouldn't the Oil Co. do some research first and know about all the old wells before, they plan to drill a new well?