The Niobrara Beast

http://www.wpxenergy.com/ ^ | 10/10/2013

[ckilmer]

From your link
Noble Energy calls niobara top tier oil play.
http://www.ogj.com/articles/print/vol-110/issue-12b/general-interest/noble-energy-calls-niobrara-top-tier-oil-play.html

Noble energy along with WPX Energy—makes two companies now who are calling the niobara a major play.

[PA Engineer]

Drilling operations commenced in August 2012 during which the company successfully recovered 535 feet of continuous core. Completion operations, including 17 frac stages, were completed in December.

I suspect that WPX will also be employing Octopus drilling operations. A lot of throttling back on these wells to get them to transmission pressures.

Excellent news if we can find a cure for LIV Zombieism.

[thackney]

I am not trying to downplay the potential. You asked me to compare it to other more established producing fields and I don’t have the info to do so.

[ckilmer]

here’s another company that calls niobara a big play

Noble Energy calls niobara top tier oil play.
http://www.ogj.com/articles/print/vol-110/issue-12b/general-interest/noble-energy-calls-niobrara-top-tier-oil-play.html

[ckilmer]

yes I understand.

I don’t have any broad info either on how to compare niobrara apple to apples with other natural gas formations .

in the niobrara the WPX article says

“Drilling operations commenced in August 2012 during which the company successfully recovered 535 feet of continuous core.”

If this translates to mean that they found natural gas 535 deep then you could compare that to natural gas deposits elsewhere.

[thackney]

If this translates to mean that they found natural gas 535 deep

It does not. They are talking about thickness of bearing formation, not depth.

[ckilmer]

Looks like a formation in Okalahoma called scoop also has oil 500 feet deep.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/18/shale-usa-idUSL6N0I819G20131018

[PA Engineer]

Thanks for the link. These caught my eye:

we’re seeing hydrocarbon saturation across tremendous thickness in a highly over-pressurized environment

and:

Noble is emphasizing liquids development, and its DJ basin holdings are driving the company's anticipated production growth

[ckilmer]

It does not. They are talking about thickness of bearing formation, not depth.
\..........
yeah that’s what I meant. I just didn’t say it well. the question is does “thickness of bearing formation” mean the same thing as when they say that oil is in formations that are 100 feet thick or 200 feet thick or 500 feet thick.

If so then the Niobrara formation at least in some sectors has oil bearing formations that are roughly 500 feet thick.

this compares favorably with the baaken where the thickness of the formation is in the 100 foot range and the eagle ford where the thickness of the formation is in the 200 foot range.

[thackney]

“thickness of bearing formation” mean the same thing as when they say that oil is in formations that are 100 feet thick or 200 feet thick or 500 feet thick.

I believe that is true.

If so then the Niobrara formation at least in some sectors has oil bearing formations that are roughly 500 feet thick.

this compares favorably with the baaken where the thickness of the formation is in the 100 foot range and the eagle ford where the thickness of the formation is in the 200 foot range.

The Bakken and the Eagle Ford have a variety of thickness, just as I suspect the Niobrara. The Bakken has multiple layers as well along with the underlying Three Forks.

Current oil production activity has focused on the middle member as well as the underlying Three Forks Formation. The thickest area of the Bakken Formation is southeast of Tioga, North Dakota, T. 155N., R. 94W., Section 15, where it reaches 145–150 feet. This area is located at the eastern base of the Nesson Anticline. The formation generally thins evenly toward the margins of the Williston Basin. The middle and lower members of the Bakken share a similar isopachous trend (maximum thickness 75 and 55 feet, respectively); however, the upper shale demonstrates distributed areas of maximum thickness near the eastern and southern marginal shelf in North Dakota, in addition to maximum thickness near Tioga.

The overlying Lodgepole Formation consists of dense limestone and calcareous shale with minor amounts of chert and anhydrite with a maximum thickness of 900 feet in eastern McKenzie, ND. The Bakken is underlain by the Three Forks Formation, which has a maximum thickness of 250 feet in eastern McKenzie County. The Three Forks Formation consists of shales, dolostones, siltstones, sandstones, and minor occurrences of anhydrite.

http://www.undeerc.org/bakken/geology.aspx

- - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - -

This paper gives a higher level of detail for Niobrara and associated geology. Note the pockets, varying thickness and other items.

I'm not trying to say this isn't much. But I don't see the information showing expectations to be significantly greater the Eagle Ford. When a press release uses "oil in place" numbers and makes no reference to technically producible, I see it as marketing, not technical publication.