Forest Oil announces South March Island discovery in Gulf of Mexico

Petroleum News Alaska Staff

Forest Oil Corp. announced two additional discoveries at South Marsh Island 149.

The company said July 15 that the South Marsh Island No. 149 C-4 well discovered 135 feet of oil and gas pay in five productive sands at a total vertical depth of 7,010 feet. Completion operations are under way. The C-5 well discovered 205 feet of oil and gas pay, also in five productive sands at a total vertical depth of 7,072 feet. The C-5 well completion and start-up will immediately follow the C-4 activity.

These two discoveries now bring the total number of productive wells on the recently installed SMI 149 “C” platform to five wells. The C-1, C-2, and C-3 wells are flowing at a combined rate of 43 MMcfe/d. The C-4 and C-5 discoveries should be on line by mid-August and increase production by 12 MMcfe/d.

Forest Oil has a 50 percent working interest in the South Marsh Island 149 field. Unocal is the operator.

Craig Clark, Forest’s president and chief operating officer, said: “The Gulf of Mexico unit is having a great year. They have capitalized successfully on deepwater, deep shelf, and conventional shelf plays that typify our diverse and ample Gulf offshore prospect inventory. I would like to compliment our offshore staff on their hard work this year.”