Infill wells contradict claims of new gas in huge Hugoton field

Journal Article · Mon Apr 25 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Oil and Gas Journal; (United States)

OSTI ID:7178790

McCoy, T F; Reese, D E; Fetkovich, M J; Needham, R B; Freeman, B E ^[1]

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1. Phillips Petroleum Co., Bartlesville, OK (United States)

Optional infill drilling in the Kansas Hugoton gas field has failed to prove increased gas reserves, contradicting claims that in some infill wells higher pressures and deliverabilities indicate new reserves. Statistical analysis of infilled units, on production through September 1992, confirms conclusions that infill wells have not encountered gas not being drained by the original wells. Although deliverability and wellhead shut-in pressures of infill wells differ from the companion original well, this difference is not from contacting untapped gas-in-place. These higher pressures and deliverabilities were shown to be caused by the pressure gradient in the most permeable layers and by completion efficiency differences between the infill and original wells. Case histories in this article illustrate some causes for the different performances of the infill and companion original well. These comparisons include: oldest infill wells with almost 5 years of performance data; infill wells encountering the highest initial wellhead shut-in pressures; and infill wells with the largest differences in deliverability.

• OSTI ID: 7178790
• Journal Information: Oil and Gas Journal; (United States), Journal Name: Oil and Gas Journal; (United States) Vol. 92:17; ISSN OIGJAV; ISSN 0030-1388
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030300* -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
DATA ANALYSIS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DRILLING
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
KANSAS
NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
NORTH AMERICA
PRODUCTIVITY
RESERVOIR PRESSURE
USA
WELL COMPLETION
WELL DRILLING
WELL PRESSURE
WELL SPACING
WELLS