Barrett Completes Crazy Mountain Basin Wildcat

Park County, Montana

Denver-based Bill Barrett Corporation (Barrett) has reported that the company’s Pulis #7-15, sw-ne 15-4n-8e, has been completed as a vertical Cody Shale producer. Drilled to the Upper Cretaceous Frontier at a depth of 5,439’, Barrett has given this hole an IPF of 1,080 mcfgpd and 1,267 bwpd from the Cody at depths near 4,250’. Yet to be declared commercial, this new well is a 40-acre northern stepout to a discovery drilled by the company less than two years ago. The Draco #10-15, nw-se 15-4n-8e, is a 12,441’ Cambrian wildcat that was plugged backed and completed as a gas discovery with an IPF of 225 mcfgpd. Currently shut-in, this gas is coming from the Cody interval at 4,412’–4,872’. Log tops on the discovery include the Cody Shale at 4,200’, Dakota at 6,331’, Three Forks at 9,599’, and the Undifferentiated Cambrian was picked at 9,972’ under a KB elevation of 5,342’.

Roughly a half mile southwest of the recently completed Pulis #7-15 (described in a previous issue of the RMOJ), Barrett plans to drill a horizontal test at the Pulis #12-15H nw-sw 15-4n-8e, an 8,551’ Cody venture (TMD) that will have a lateral leg terminating in the ne-se of 15-4n-8e. Vertical depth for this test will be 4,690’, indicating a lateral length of nearly 3,800’. No activity has been reported at this site.

Within the same township, Barrett has drilled four tests and has staked locations for two others. The wildcats that have been drilled—excluding the two previously mentioned—include a 7,550’ test scaling some 2 miles southeast of the Pulis #12-15H location, at the Swandal Ranch #14-26, se-sw 26-4n-8e. This prospect was scheduled to the Muddy to a depth of 7,550’. Latest reports indicate that casing has been set through the Cody and the company will commence completion operations in the near future.

Three miles northwest of their proposed horizontal test, Barrett drilled a deep Cambrian prospect at the Leviathan #3-6, se-nw 6-4n-8e. Currently shut-in, the company reported that this well may be completed as a Cody gas producer at depths near 4,000’. This hole was drilled to the Cambrian at a depth below 10,000’.

The other planned tests by Barrett in this township include the Pulis State #11-16, ne-sw 16-4n-8e, a projected 6,300’ Muddy test; and the Leviathan Pulis #1-18, ne-ne 18-4n-8e, another deep Precambrian test slated for 12,000’.

This wildcat activity by Barrett is located some 80 miles from nearest production and roughly 33 miles northeast of Bozeman, Mont. The company currently has interests in more than 375,000 gross acres in this basin, and a number of structures have been identified through Barrett’s 3D seismic program.