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AAPG Bulletin

Abstract


Volume: 65 (1981)

Issue: 10. (October)

First Page: 1896

Last Page: 1929

Title: Northeastern United States

Author(s): D. G. Patchen (1), K. A. Schwarz (2), T. H. DeBrosse (3), E. P. Bendler (4), J. B. Hermann (5), J. A. Harper (6), W. W. Kelly, Jr. (7), Katharine Lee Avary (8)

Abstract:

Development paper district 20 includes Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. In Maryland, the first exploratory test in 5 yr was drilled by Amoco in Garrett County and was completed as a dry hole at a total depth of 5,301 ft in the Shriver Chert. The only other completion was a gas storage well drilled by Texas Eastern in Accident field. Total footage drilled in the two wells was 13,227 ft. Natural gas production from fields in Garrett County during 1980 was 68,323 thousand cubic feet (mcf), a decrease of 10% from 1979.

During 1980, drilling operations in Ohio decreased by 3.7% in comparison to the previous year, although 1979 was the most active year since 1918. A total of 3,356 new wells were drilled for oil and gas, resulting in 818 gas, 276 oil, 2,154 combination oil and gas, and 108 dry holes, a success rate of 96.8%. A total of 212 exploratory wells, up 6 from last year, were included. The most active target was the Lower Silurian 'Clinton-Medina' sandstone, with 2,459 wells, 2,405 of which were successful (97.8%). An additional 571 wells were drilled to the Berea Sandstone, of which 557 were productive (97.5%). The total new footage drilled was 12,539,937 ft, down 2.8% from 1979. Oil production for the year was 12,927,837 barrels (bbl), an increase of 8.2%, and gas production was 138,856,167 m f, up 11.4%.

During 1980, Pennsylvanian drilling activity increased only slightly, by 4.1%, compared to 1979. However, approximately 7,000 permits were issued to drill wells, so the actual figure for new completions may be close to 4,000 wells. Of the 2,020 new wells actually reported during the year, 1,100 were gas wells, 777 were oil, 24 were combination oil and gas, 64 were for service, and 55 were dry holes, resulting in a 97% rate of success. The number of gas wells and oil wells increased only slightly, but combination oil and gas wells were up 300%. Exploratory wells numbered 132, up 91% from 1979. Of these, 113 were successful, a success rate of 86%. The total new footage drilled in 1980 was 5,461,275 ft, an increase of 13% from 1979. Oil production, 2,940,187 bbl, increased 4%, and gas pr duction, 97,439,000 mcf, increased 1%.

Drilling activity in Virginia increased slightly during 1980, with 25 new wells drilled and 1 old well deepened, representing a 4% increase over the 1979 total of 24. Of the 25 new wells drilled, 20 were completed as producers, and 5 as dry holes, a success ratio of 80%. The one old well drilled deeper was successfully completed in the deeper zone. Exploratory drilling was unsuccessful, as all 3 wells were dry holes, whereas 20 of 22 development wells (91%) were successful. Sixteen of the new wells plus the 1 old well drilled deeper were completed as gas wells in the Mississippian Maxon and Berea sands, the Mississippian Greenbrier Limestone, and the Lower Devonian Oriskany Sandstone. Three of the new wells were completed with oil production from the Middle Ordovician Trenton Limeston , and a fourth was completed as an oil well in the Trenton and Lower Silurian Clinch (Tuscarora) Sandstone. Total footage drilled amounted to 99,401 ft, a decrease of 4% from the previous year. Development drilling totaled 89,260 ft, an average of 4,023 ft per well, and exploratory footage totaled 10,141, an average of 3,380 ft per well. Production of natural gas in Virginia totaled 7,812,402 mcf from 258 wells operated by 10 companies in 6 counties, a decrease of 8.6% from the 1979 production. Crude oil production increased considerably, by 160%, during 1980, with a total of 9,513 bbl produced from 8 wells operated by 4 companies in the Ben Hur and Rose Hill fields, Lee County. The level of drilling and production is expected to increase significantly during 1981.

Total well completions in West Virginia increased 7.7% from 1979 to 1980, with 1,738 wells reported. Exploratory completions, however, decreased 42.7%. The more active programs concentrated on discovering and developing gas production in the lower Chemung and Brallier sands below the Benson trend, and on developing oil production in the Gordon and Fifth sands and the Huron Shale in several counties along the Ohio River. Deep drilling decreased slightly, but interest remained high in the Eastern Overthrust Belt. Belington was the most active gas field and included a shallow oil discovery, and Blue Creek was the most active oil field. Total footage drilled was 6,287,058, up 20.8%. An additional 94,152 ft was drilled in 40 wells for gas storage or water injection for enhanced oil recover . Oil production, 2,336,000 bbl, decreased 2.9%, and gas production, 156,551,000 mcf, increased 4.0% (Table 1).

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