Gary, i am not sure if this is where i can ask another question but i am curious about your previous comment about one rig down and 2 still drilling in section 35....does that mean that well is ready for the next step or does that usually mean they are not going to drill it any more? i find this all very interesting, and another question, if devon asked for increased density to 8 wells, does that make a total of a possible 9 since that is in addition to the unit well? thanks
I can answer the part of the question regarding when a rig comes down since many, many years ago I was on what they called "the wrong side of pig iron", meaning I was out there around rigs, fracturing, perforating and logging. A drilling rig is the most expensive part of an operation like what is going on in the Woodford shale play. An operator wants the day rate on that rig to cease as soon as possible. Therefore the rig can "come down" as soon as the verticle and horizontal drilling is complete, the well logging is done and the casing is set properly. Then a cheaper day rate rig can be moved on for the perforating and when complete, moved off. Then the fracturing takes place with lots of heavy equipment on the location.
Now there can be cases where the big rig stays on location and the perforating and fracturing is done with it still up. All equipment will be moved off and then the well head is hooked up for production, connected to a pipeline for gas and, if needed, a tank battery set for collecting the liquids.
cheryl m. west said:
Gary, you said one of the rigs was down and 2 still drilling in a previous comment, was that about section 35 ?...does the rig come down when they are ready for the next step in the process or does it come down when they decide not to go any further with that well? I find all of this very interesting...and another question, if devon requested 8 additional wells be permitted, does that make a total of 9? thanks
Thanks Donald, I am prety sure they are through drilling the first well and are ready for the next step in the process. As to Cheryl’s second question I assumed they would only drill 8 wells but I am not sure. Anyone else know the answer?
Donald Underwood said:
I can answer the part of the question regarding when a rig comes down since many, many years ago I was on what they called "the wrong side of pig iron", meaning I was out there around rigs, fracturing, perforating and logging. A drilling rig is the most expensive part of an operation like what is going on in the Woodford shale play. An operator wants the day rate on that rig to cease as soon as possible. Therefore the rig can "come down" as soon as the verticle and horizontal drilling is complete, the well logging is done and the casing is set properly. Then a cheaper day rate rig can be moved on for the perforating and when complete, moved off. Then the fracturing takes place with lots of heavy equipment on the location.
Now there can be cases where the big rig stays on location and the perforating and fracturing is done with it still up. All equipment will be moved off and then the well head is hooked up for production, connected to a pipeline for gas and, if needed, a tank battery set for collecting the liquids.
cheryl m. west said:Gary, you said one of the rigs was down and 2 still drilling in a previous comment, was that about section 35 ?...does the rig come down when they are ready for the next step in the process or does it come down when they decide not to go any further with that well? I find all of this very interesting...and another question, if devon requested 8 additional wells be permitted, does that make a total of 9? thanks
thank you donald and gary for your answers…now i am wondering just how big is a section? seems like 8 or 9 wells would be alot for a section…and when force pooled does that mean everyone in that same section? or do they pool more sections? and what makes this section stand out from others that that they would drill so many? ideas? thanks
Gary said:
Thanks Donald, I am prety sure they are through drilling the first well and are ready for the next step in the process. As to Cheryl's second question I assumed they would only drill 8 wells but I am not sure. Anyone else know the answer?
Donald Underwood said:I can answer the part of the question regarding when a rig comes down since many, many years ago I was on what they called "the wrong side of pig iron", meaning I was out there around rigs, fracturing, perforating and logging. A drilling rig is the most expensive part of an operation like what is going on in the Woodford shale play. An operator wants the day rate on that rig to cease as soon as possible. Therefore the rig can "come down" as soon as the verticle and horizontal drilling is complete, the well logging is done and the casing is set properly. Then a cheaper day rate rig can be moved on for the perforating and when complete, moved off. Then the fracturing takes place with lots of heavy equipment on the location.
Now there can be cases where the big rig stays on location and the perforating and fracturing is done with it still up. All equipment will be moved off and then the well head is hooked up for production, connected to a pipeline for gas and, if needed, a tank battery set for collecting the liquids.
cheryl m. west said:Gary, you said one of the rigs was down and 2 still drilling in a previous comment, was that about section 35 ?...does the rig come down when they are ready for the next step in the process or does it come down when they decide not to go any further with that well? I find all of this very interesting...and another question, if devon requested 8 additional wells be permitted, does that make a total of 9? thanks
In general, in Oklahoma there are 640 acres in a section. I am not quite up on forced pooling but I believe in Oklahoma, in a forced pooled section, all royalty owners in that section share in whatever is produced out of that section whether it be one well or eight wells. Their share would be based on what their actual mineral ownership is. Eight wells in 640 acres can be normal in the tight shale deposits such as the Woodford. I don’t know if there are any, just basing my info on the Barnett shale in north Texas and the Eagleford shale in south Texas. The close spacing of wells is to get the maximum return of the hydrocarbons from the tight formations in an operating companies lease hold.
cheryl m. west said:
thank you donald and gary for your answers....now i am wondering just how big is a section? seems like 8 or 9 wells would be alot for a section...and when force pooled does that mean everyone in that same section? or do they pool more sections? and what makes this section stand out from others that that they would drill so many? ideas? thanks
Gary said:Thanks Donald, I am prety sure they are through drilling the first well and are ready for the next step in the process. As to Cheryl's second question I assumed they would only drill 8 wells but I am not sure. Anyone else know the answer?
Donald Underwood said:I can answer the part of the question regarding when a rig comes down since many, many years ago I was on what they called "the wrong side of pig iron", meaning I was out there around rigs, fracturing, perforating and logging. A drilling rig is the most expensive part of an operation like what is going on in the Woodford shale play. An operator wants the day rate on that rig to cease as soon as possible. Therefore the rig can "come down" as soon as the verticle and horizontal drilling is complete, the well logging is done and the casing is set properly. Then a cheaper day rate rig can be moved on for the perforating and when complete, moved off. Then the fracturing takes place with lots of heavy equipment on the location.
Now there can be cases where the big rig stays on location and the perforating and fracturing is done with it still up. All equipment will be moved off and then the well head is hooked up for production, connected to a pipeline for gas and, if needed, a tank battery set for collecting the liquids.
cheryl m. west said:Gary, you said one of the rigs was down and 2 still drilling in a previous comment, was that about section 35 ?...does the rig come down when they are ready for the next step in the process or does it come down when they decide not to go any further with that well? I find all of this very interesting...and another question, if devon requested 8 additional wells be permitted, does that make a total of 9? thanks