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Utah Geological Survey - News Release
March 13, 1997
Horizontal Drilling in Small Oil Field
to Get its First Test
The Utah Geological Survey and its industry partner Harken Southwest Corporation of Irving, Texas, are drilling the first-ever horizontal well in a small oil field in southeastern Utah. The effort is part of a six-year, $5 million project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy with the UGS as prime contractor. The project is designed to increase oil reserves and production from small fields throughout the Paradox Basin region using new techniques. The work started March 9.
In horizontal drilling, the drill bit is manipulated so that it turns to enter the reservoir approximately perpendicular to vertical. This horizontal well then acts as a drain to more efficiently pull oil and gas from the reservoir, thus increasing production without having to drill new vertical holes. The well, designated Mule 31 K-1, will be drilled over 1,000 feet horizontally in an attempt to penetrate "sweet spots" within Mule Field that have not been discovered by vertical drilling. The well is located on Navajo Nation lands in San Juan County.
In the Paradox Basin, most oil is produced from small, reef-like mounds that formed in a shallow, warm sea 320 million years ago. Because of their limited size, these fields usually consist of one to five vertical wells. Often, several dry holes are drilled in an attempt to determine the limits of these ancient mounds. However, by using horizontal drilling technology developed over the past 10 years, wells can penetrate a greater section of oil-bearing rock. Production is increased, meaning more oil is recovered at a lower cost. One horizontal well may produce as much as four conventional vertical wells, and the environmental impact to the surface area is significantly reduced.
If this well is successful, horizontal drilling may be used by many
other operators in similar small fields throughout southeastern Utah.
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