Aurora Gas tests 4 million cubic feet a day from Nicolai Creek well

Petroleum News Alaska Staff

Aurora Gas LLC said Feb. 28 that it has tested its Nicolai Creek unit workover at a sustained flow rate of more than 4 million cubic feet of natural gas a day.

The Nicolai Creek Unit No. 3 well, on the west side of Cook Inlet, had been shut in for more than 20 years. Aurora Gas cleaned out, re-perforated and gravel packed the well in December and tested it in late February. A sustained flow rate of more than 4 million cubic feet of natural gas per day was attained from the five commingled perforated intervals of the Upper Tyonek formation at depths of 1,900 feet to 2,380 feet.

Aurora’s executive vice president and the project manager, Ed Jones, said the company was extremely pleased with the test.

“We have been very anxious to test the well since the well work was completed just before Christmas. It has taken until now to obtain the necessary equipment, but it has been well worth the wait,” he said.

“Success on this test was critical to our future intentions to develop the Nicolai Creek Unit: we can now proceed with our plans to rework or drill at least two additional wells.”

Scott Pfoff, president of Aurora’s gas marketing affiliate, Aurora Power Resources Inc., said the “company is positioning itself to be a long-term player in supplying the energy needs of Southcentral Alaska. Bringing the Nicolai Creek Unit on production is a very significant step for us, we have now joined the ranks of Cook Inlet operators, something few companies, if any, our size have accomplished.”

Aurora will commence work on installation of production facilities and a 4-inch pipeline to put the well on production.