Abstract

The Peoria Field, approximately forty miles east of Denver in Arapahoe County, Colorado, is situated in the south-central portion of the Denver-Julesburg Basin. The field was discovered in July, 1970, by Tom Vessels in partnership with Amoco Production Company (Pan American Petroleum Corporation). The discovery was drilled in an attempt to extend the prolific production developed in the 1950's in Washington County southwestward into Arapahoe County. As of March 1, 1971, the field had fifty-three wells producing from the Lower Cretaceous "J" sand. Cumulative production was 742,000 barrels of oil. Development drilling is still being conducted.

Production in Peoria is from a Lower Cretaceous Muddy "J" channel sand with a maximum thickness of forty-five feet. Porosities are as high as 19%, with permeabilities ranging as high as 1,400 md.

Relatively shallow drilling depths (top of pay at 6,500 feet), inexpensive drilling costs, and high yield wells exhibited by this field have been the stimulus for extensive drilling activity in the south-central D-J Basin.