Beginning with the discovery of the giant East Texas Field in 1930, the Woodbine has made its mark in the history of oil and gas. Yet 76 years later there are still significant contributions to be made from these remarkable sands. The search for new Woodbine fields has shifted far to the south, to Polk and Tyler Counties, Texas.

The Woodbine sands in Polk and Tyler Counties are distinctly different from those of the main Harris Delta in the East Texas Basin. The existing fields, all of which are located on the Cretaceous Shelf, have been referred to as the Downdip Woodbine. The Deep Woodbine applies to the Woodbine sands deposited south of the Cretaceous Shelf.

Production from the Downdip Woodbine in these fields is approaching 700 BCF and 26 MMBO, with the ultimate production on the shelf almost certain to exceed 1 TCF and 30 MMBO. An analysis of these fields suggests that they are largely deltaic and delta front sands consisting of coalescing, dip-oriented lobes at sites determined by abrupt increases in accommodation space.

Exploration for Deep Woodbine sands south of the Cretaceous Shelf is under way with large areas already covered by 3-D seismic. Drilling began in 2004 for reservoirs that could dwarf those found updip. Early results are encouraging, but the data from these 18,000- to 22,000-ft wells is being held tight by the companies who have invested in the play. What is now known is that these Deep Woodbine reservoirs exist; they are gas-filled and highly overpressured. Among the greatest hurdles to successful exploitation of the play may well be the engineering aspects of drilling and completing such wells. So today, the Deep Woodbine sands south of the Cretaceous Shelf in Polk and Tyler Counties await the completion of a discovery well to announce their presence. And with that a new chapter will begin in the history of the Woodbine.

End_of_Record - Last_Page 19---------------