Discovered in 1980,Vernon Field, in Jackson Parish, Louisiana, languished as a small tight-gas field for two decades until its potential as a giant was fully realized just five years ago. This field now has more than 250 wells and proven reserves exceeding 1.8 trillion cubic feet. From its discovery until 2000, it was held by at least five different companies, and along each stage of its development, it revealed a bit more of its potential.

Initially, Vernon field was believed to represent a simple stratigraphic pinchout of Lower Cotton Valley sandstones against regional southerly dip. Existing seismic data was sparse and of poor quality; individual pay intervals were not seismically resolvable. However, a limited number of 2-D lines hinted at divergent dips south of the northern sand limit, suggesting the possibility of an expanded stratigraphic section in the Lower Cotton Valley. In 2000 a more favorable price environment resulted in accelerated field development, during which a number of wells were found to have pay intervals partially faulted out. These new data prompted a large 3-D survey over the field that defined it as a prolific tight gas reservoir producing from Lower Cotton Valley sands at a depth of 12,000 to 15,500 feet along a growth-faulted anticlinal trap.

More sleeping giants such as Vernon likely exist in this seemingly mature petroleum province. Finding them will require careful analysis of often sparse well and seismic data, the willingness to drill an adequate pilot program to fully assess the resource, and aggressive optimization of drilling and completion practices.

End_of_Record - Last_Page 11---------------