Shale gas in the southern central area of New York State: Part II. Experience of locating and drilling four shale-gas wells in New York State

Technical Report · Wed Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6104294

Four shale-gas wells have been located and drilled in the south-central area of New York State as part of this project. The four wells that were drilled are: the Rathbone well, in Steuben County, was located on the north side of a graben, in an old shale-gas field; it penetrated the Rhinestreet, Geneseo and Marcellus shales. Artificial stimulation was performed in the Rhinestreet, without marked success, and in the Marcellus; the latter formation has a calculated open flow of 110 Mcf/day and appears capable of initial production of 100 Mcf/day against a back-pressure of 500 psi. The Dansville well, in Livingston County, tested the Geneseo and Marcellus shales at shallower depth. Artificial stimulation was performed in the Marcellus. The calculated open flow is 95 Mcf/day, and the well appears capable of initial production of 70 Mcf/day against a back-pressure of 300 psi. The Erwin and N. Corning wells, both near Corning in Steuben County, were designed to test the possibility of collecting gas from a fractured conduit layer connecting to other fracture systems in the Rhinestreet shale. The N. Corning well failed; the expected conduit was found to be only slightly fractured. The Erwin well encountered a good initial show of gas at the conduit, but the gas flow was not maintained; even after artificial stimulation the production is only 10 Mcf/day. The present conclusion is that the most likely source of shale gas in south-central New York is the Marcellus shale formation. Important factors not yet established are the decline rate of Marcellus production and the potential of the Geneseo after stimulation.

• Research Organization: Donohue, Anstey and Morrill, Boston, MA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC21-79MC12697
• OSTI ID: 6104294
• Report Number(s): DOE/MC/12697-T2; ON: DE82000914
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030200 -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
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& Exploration
030300* -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
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030900 -- Natural Gas-- Artificial Stimulation
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BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
BLACK SHALES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHATTANOOGA FORMATION
COMMINUTION
DRILLING
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPLORATION
EXPLORATORY WELLS
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURING
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
MATERIALS
MID-ATLANTIC REGION
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
NEW YORK
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SHALES
PRODUCTION
RESOURCES
USA
WELL DRILLING
WELLS