Atchafalaya Bay Field-Raised from the Ashes

摘要

Atchafalaya Bay Field was discovered in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana in 1951 and produced for 55 years, totaling more than 88 Bcf of gas and 2,398,000 bbl of condensate. Forty-three wells were drilled in the field with 19 producing from multiple horizons between 11,000 ft and 17,500 ft in sands ranging in age from Textularia L to Upper Cibi-cides opima (Cib op). The field was taken off production in 2005 and remained inactive for four years. The Atchafalaya Bay Field was "raised from the ashes" with the completion of the Phoenix Exploration State Lease 20035 #1 well. The well was completed on May 1,2010, in the Lower Cib op sands through perforations at 18,256 ft to 18,328 ft, flowing 10,500,000 MMcf of gas per day and 108 bbl of condensate per day (Fig. 1). This resurrection began on March 9,2009, with the acquisition of a state lease comprising 675 acres at a cost of $296,680. The geological interpretation of 1996 3D seismic data within a proven field area led to the rebirth. The new discovery was made after an amplitude supported prospect was defined and drilled updip of the stratigraphic sequences seen in two adjacent wells that were drilled in 1979 and 1980. The pay that was encountered was not associated with amplitude event seen on seismic, but was found in the next lower sand seen in the well and had 70 ft of pay. Since then, deeper productive sands have been discovered. Six high-volume gas wells were drilled and completed in multiple middle and lower Cib op sands. The field area was extended 3 mi to the south and 4 pay zones were identified in the extension well with another confirmation offsetting the discovery well. An exploration stepout was drilled 3 mi to the southwest and has been completed in what appears to be a shallower Cib op section. These completions not only restored production to an abandoned field, but also elevated it to the number one ranked gas producing field in 2011 and 2012 in Louisiana in the Lafayette District. The 2012 cumulative production for the field was 27.7 Bcf of gas and 130,154 bbl of condensate (Fig. 2) Within 45 months from the initial lease in March 2009,2705 acres have been acquired at a cost of $1,144,898, followed by the drilling and completion of six deep wells that have produced an average of 134.8 MMcf of gas and 517 bbl of condensate per day (Fig. 3). High gas production rates and condensate yield allows the field to operate profitably at present gas prices. New life returned to this "old" field has generated more than $125 million dollars in gross revenue.