The oilpatch is notorious for being "careful" about its approach to new technology. But sometimes you've just got to take a chance. That was what Warren E&P decided to do in its Wilmington Townlot Unit (WTU) located in the city of Los Angeles, Calif. It tried a new and unique well placement technology, PeriScope 15, by Schlumberger. And the results are nothing short of amazing. The field was originally discovered in 1936, and over the years it has been drilled extensively with vertical wells chasing four producing horizons - the Tar, Ranger, Upper Terminal and Ford. Since 1971 the Upper Terminal has been under water flood. It was this project that piqued Warren's interest in the late 1990s. Warren bought 50% of the field in 1999 from a small operator. "Oil prices went up almost immediately after we signed the deal," said Ken Gobble, senior vice president of Warren. "The seller did everything it could to unwind the deal."
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