Investigation Underway Into Utah Drilling Site

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Uintah County Fire Department and the Uintah County Sheriff's Department are investigating an explosion that occurred Tuesday evening at a Newfield Exploration Co. site in Uintah County, Utah, a county official told Rigzone.

A contractor working for Newfield, Tyson Lee Boren, was killed. Another worker was injured and treated at a local hospital, John Laursen, chief deputy for Uintah County.

A grinder found at the scene is suspected to be behind the explosion, Laursen said. The incident occurred when a 400-barrel tank at the site had started to leak. When workers went to fix the tank, someone accidentally hit it with a grinder, causing the production water to explode.

The site of the incident is located 15 miles south of Myton, Utah and 65 miles from the Uintah County seat of Vernal.

Newfield is also conducting its own investigation into the matter, according to media reports.

Karen Boman has more than 10 years of experience covering the upstream oil and gas sector. Email Karen at kboman@rigzone.com.

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Investigation Underway Into Utah Drilling Site

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Uintah County Fire Department and the Uintah County Sheriff's Department are investigating an explosion that occurred Tuesday evening at a Newfield Exploration Co. site in Uintah County, Utah, a county official told Rigzone.

A contractor working for Newfield, Tyson Lee Boren, was killed. Another worker was injured and treated at a local hospital, John Laursen, chief deputy for Uintah County.

A grinder found at the scene is suspected to be behind the explosion, Laursen said. The incident occurred when a 400-barrel tank at the site had started to leak. When workers went to fix the tank, someone accidentally hit it with a grinder, causing the production water to explode.

The site of the incident is located 15 miles south of Myton, Utah and 65 miles from the Uintah County seat of Vernal.

Newfield is also conducting its own investigation into the matter, according to media reports.

Karen Boman has more than 10 years of experience covering the upstream oil and gas sector. Email Karen at kboman@rigzone.com.

Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.

View the original article here

Investigation Underway Into Utah Drilling Site

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Uintah County Fire Department and the Uintah County Sheriff's Department are investigating an explosion that occurred Tuesday evening at a Newfield Exploration Co. site in Uintah County, Utah, a county official told Rigzone.

A contractor working for Newfield, Tyson Lee Boren, was killed. Another worker was injured and treated at a local hospital, John Laursen, chief deputy for Uintah County.

A grinder found at the scene is suspected to be behind the explosion, Laursen said. The incident occurred when a 400-barrel tank at the site had started to leak. When workers went to fix the tank, someone accidentally hit it with a grinder, causing the production water to explode.

The site of the incident is located 15 miles south of Myton, Utah and 65 miles from the Uintah County seat of Vernal.

Newfield is also conducting its own investigation into the matter, according to media reports.

Karen Boman has more than 10 years of experience covering the upstream oil and gas sector. Email Karen at kboman@rigzone.com.

Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.

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Seismic Ops Underway at Petromanas' Albania Blocks

Petromanas Energy Inc. announced late Monday that its 2013 seismic program on Blocks 2 and 3 in Albania is underway.

Petromanas said its contractor, Geotec SpA of Italy, has initiated survey work and the drilling of shot holes. Recording commenced April 15.

Under the terms of the company's farm-out agreement with Royal Dutch Shell plc, Petromanas will be carried on the first $20 million spent on the seismic program, including the test line which was shot in 2012 and which is currently being processed. Any costs in excess of that amount will be shared equally by both parties.

Petromanas also announced that it has cased the Shpirag-2 well in Albania to the top of the main objective carbonate reservoir at a depth of 16,942 feet (5,164 meters). The company set casing from the previous casing depth of approximately 15,584 feet (4,750 meters) to put the lower zone of unstable flysch shale behind pipe. The well is currently drilling ahead in the upper carbonate zone at a depth of approximately 17,060 feet (5,200 meters).

"Successfully casing to this point means we can turn our attention to the carbonate target zone, without having to worry about instability higher in the hole," Petromanas CEO Glenn McNamara said.

"We and our partner remain committed to drilling the target carbonate zone to a sufficient depth so we can run logs and gather sufficient information to assess the potential of this prospect."

Petromanas estimates the total costs to drill the well to date are approximately $60 million, or $17 million net to the firm. The firm's management estimates the total costs to drill the well to the target depth of 19,029 feet (5,800 meters) at approximately $67 million gross. The logistics planning and sourcing for the Shpirag-2 completion/testing program is in the final stages and will be mobilized once the well reaches total depth.

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Seismic Ops Underway at Petromanas' Albania Blocks

Petromanas Energy Inc. announced late Monday that its 2013 seismic program on Blocks 2 and 3 in Albania is underway.

Petromanas said its contractor, Geotec SpA of Italy, has initiated survey work and the drilling of shot holes. Recording commenced April 15.

Under the terms of the company's farm-out agreement with Royal Dutch Shell plc, Petromanas will be carried on the first $20 million spent on the seismic program, including the test line which was shot in 2012 and which is currently being processed. Any costs in excess of that amount will be shared equally by both parties.

Petromanas also announced that it has cased the Shpirag-2 well in Albania to the top of the main objective carbonate reservoir at a depth of 16,942 feet (5,164 meters). The company set casing from the previous casing depth of approximately 15,584 feet (4,750 meters) to put the lower zone of unstable flysch shale behind pipe. The well is currently drilling ahead in the upper carbonate zone at a depth of approximately 17,060 feet (5,200 meters).

"Successfully casing to this point means we can turn our attention to the carbonate target zone, without having to worry about instability higher in the hole," Petromanas CEO Glenn McNamara said.

"We and our partner remain committed to drilling the target carbonate zone to a sufficient depth so we can run logs and gather sufficient information to assess the potential of this prospect."

Petromanas estimates the total costs to drill the well to date are approximately $60 million, or $17 million net to the firm. The firm's management estimates the total costs to drill the well to the target depth of 19,029 feet (5,800 meters) at approximately $67 million gross. The logistics planning and sourcing for the Shpirag-2 completion/testing program is in the final stages and will be mobilized once the well reaches total depth.

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Senecio Tight Gas Feasibility Study Underway

AWE disclosed Thursday that it has started on a development feasibility study for the commercialization of the onshore Senecio tight gas accumulation. The Senecio discovery is located in the north Perth Basin, Western Australia.

Analysis of pressure tests conducted in November 2012 and other data captured since the fracture stimulation has confirmed permeability of between 0.03 millidarcy (mD) to 0.06 mD, which is within the pre-fracture estimated range.

"This analysis, together with the successful flow test in September 2012 that reported a stabilized gas rate of 1.35 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, with a 16-foot (five-meter) perforation interval, demonstrates potentially commercial reservoir flow capacity," AWE said in a statement. AWE's project partner is Origin Energy. Both of the companies have an equal stake in the partnership.

AWE has previously booked a 2C contingent resource for its 50 percent equity share of Senecio of 4.4 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe). Previously interpreted 2D seismic data indicated a potential estimated recoverable volume of at least double the quantity currently booked. An outcome of the feasibility study will be an updated definitive resource estimate which will be based on latest interpretation of the well data, the new 3D seismic data, and planned reservoir modeling studies.

AWE's Managing Director Bruce Clement, said that the Senecio tight gas commercialization program is gaining momentum and that positive subsurface data has given the company considerable confidence that commercial gas production can be achieved from the Senecio discovery.

"The results of the pressure test, the flow test, and the Irwin 3D seismic program indicate that a horizontal, multi-stage, hydraulically fracture stimulated well at Senecio could be economically viable," Clement noted in a statement.

"The Perth Basin is potentially a very important source of energy for the Western Australian market and we believe that the timely completion of a development feasibility study will help define a valuable gas resource," Clement added.

AWE plans to consider the use of nearby existing plant processing infrastructure to minimize the project's environmental footprint and development costs. Evaluation of the Dongara and Xyris gas plants and associated infrastructure will form part of the study.
Detailed work on project planning, budget and product marketing may start as soon as 2Q 2013.

Clement said: "The unconventional gas program in the Perth Basin has been very successful to date, significantly increasing our understanding of the geological and commercial potential of the tight gas and shale gas opportunities in the Basin.

Our exploration team is looking at 30 years of accumulated data for the Perth Basin, compiled through conventional oil and gas exploration activities, to identify additional tight gas intersections with development potential."

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Senecio Tight Gas Feasibility Study Underway

AWE disclosed Thursday that it has started on a development feasibility study for the commercialization of the onshore Senecio tight gas accumulation. The Senecio discovery is located in the north Perth Basin, Western Australia.

Analysis of pressure tests conducted in November 2012 and other data captured since the fracture stimulation has confirmed permeability of between 0.03 millidarcy (mD) to 0.06 mD, which is within the pre-fracture estimated range.

"This analysis, together with the successful flow test in September 2012 that reported a stabilized gas rate of 1.35 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, with a 16-foot (five-meter) perforation interval, demonstrates potentially commercial reservoir flow capacity," AWE said in a statement. AWE's project partner is Origin Energy. Both of the companies have an equal stake in the partnership.

AWE has previously booked a 2C contingent resource for its 50 percent equity share of Senecio of 4.4 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe). Previously interpreted 2D seismic data indicated a potential estimated recoverable volume of at least double the quantity currently booked. An outcome of the feasibility study will be an updated definitive resource estimate which will be based on latest interpretation of the well data, the new 3D seismic data, and planned reservoir modeling studies.

AWE's Managing Director Bruce Clement, said that the Senecio tight gas commercialization program is gaining momentum and that positive subsurface data has given the company considerable confidence that commercial gas production can be achieved from the Senecio discovery.

"The results of the pressure test, the flow test, and the Irwin 3D seismic program indicate that a horizontal, multi-stage, hydraulically fracture stimulated well at Senecio could be economically viable," Clement noted in a statement.

"The Perth Basin is potentially a very important source of energy for the Western Australian market and we believe that the timely completion of a development feasibility study will help define a valuable gas resource," Clement added.

AWE plans to consider the use of nearby existing plant processing infrastructure to minimize the project's environmental footprint and development costs. Evaluation of the Dongara and Xyris gas plants and associated infrastructure will form part of the study.
Detailed work on project planning, budget and product marketing may start as soon as 2Q 2013.

Clement said: "The unconventional gas program in the Perth Basin has been very successful to date, significantly increasing our understanding of the geological and commercial potential of the tight gas and shale gas opportunities in the Basin.

Our exploration team is looking at 30 years of accumulated data for the Perth Basin, compiled through conventional oil and gas exploration activities, to identify additional tight gas intersections with development potential."

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Clean Up Underway of Oil Spill on Mississippi

The U.S. Coast Guard unified command continues to respond to a crude oil spill in the lower Mississippi River near mile marker 436 in Vicksburg, Miss., Tuesday.

A lightering and salvage plan has been approved and multiple response crews have been dispatched to begin removing oil from the damaged barge.

Response crews have deployed 2,800-feet of boom to contain the source of the oil leak. Skimming vessels have recovered approximately 2,300 gallons of oil-water mixture since the incident occurred. The tank levels are being continually monitored. The leaking tank contained approximately 80,000 gallons of light crude oil. An estimated 7,000 gallons of oil is unaccounted for with an unknown quantity potentially contained in the void spaces of the damaged barge.

The Mississippi River remains closed to all traffic for a 16-mile distance between mile marker 425 and mile marker 441 near Vicksburg. Currently there are 21 northbound and 34 southbound vessels affected due to the river closure.

Mississippi River vessel traffic queue management is ongoing. Vessels will be allowed to transit the area as soon as it is environmentally and operationally safe to do so.

Personnel from Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River, Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Vicksburg and the Coast Guard Gulf Strike Team from Mobile, Ala., are on scene as part of a unified command effort to oversee cleanup and salvage operations. The unified command consists of representatives from the Coast Guard, State on-scene coordinators from Mississippi and Louisiana and the owner of the towing vessel, Nature's Way Marine LLC.

The Coast Guard investigation into the incident is ongoing.

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