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The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database

Houston Geological Society Bulletin

Abstract


Houston Geological Society Bulletin, Volume 46, No. 7, March 2004. Pages 21-21.

Abstract: Old Dogs, Old Tricks—New Successes: Successful Re-development of the Lake Washington Field

By

Bill Moody
Manager of Exploration
Swift Energy Company

Swift Energy Company (Swift) acquired the Lake Washington field in March 2001. Lake Washington Field is located in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana about 60 miles due-south of New Orleans. Swift Energy’s team of geoscientists working on exploration and further development of Lake Washington Field has employed only-tried-and-true subsurface geological methods to increase production from nearly 700 BOEPD at the time of acquisition to more than 11,000 BOEPD at year-end 2003.

Located along the Louisiana coast, Lake Washington Field was originally discovered in the 1930s and is around a shallow piercement salt feature. Since inception, the field has produced approximately 350 MMBOE. Swift Energy operates approximately 15,500 gross acres (12,900 net acres) in the field. Since acquisition, Swift’s geoscientists have employed old-fashioned geological methods of multiple-level subsurface maps at close intervals, combined with numerous correlation sections, fault plane maps and net sand maps which have enabled the company to book reserves at a faster pace than originally anticipated. Although several older generation 2-D seismic lines have been acquired in the field they proved to be of little use in defining the close-in-type prospects that have been exploited. Swift has drilled a total of 90 wells since the acquisition of which 71 wells have been completed. This is a success rate of almost 79 percent! The wells drilled since 2001 have intersected 58 different pay zones, with current completions targeting 25 different sands. The average net pay per completion has been approximately 138 feet.

Swift’s current plans call for the drilling of an additional 25–30 wells in 2004. Approximately 85% of the drilling to date has targeted reserves above 6,000 feet. The upcoming year will have numerous wells set up for the 6,000 feet to 9,000 feet depth range as well.

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