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302:. Dominion prefers to vent the gas but is under orders from the state to flare the gas if it exceeds 300 million feet of gas per day. The local residents said it had a 30-foot (9.1 m) vertical flare and roared like a train. On April 14, while drilling at 5,000 ft (1,500 m), the well blew out with a ball of fire that went over 100 ft (30 m) into the air. It rattled windows over a mile away. After everything settled down, the vertical stack was burning a 50-to-70-foot (15 to 21 m) flare. One report has the well flaring 500 million cubic feet of gas for the first hour. Drilling resumed after three hours. They reached total depth of 8,500 ft (2,600 m) on April 19, 2007.
161:. The shale is very hard, and until technological advancements as have been honed in the exploration and drilling of the Barnett Shale, it was too costly to extract. The Conasauga Shale is hydro-sensitive, as the shale will absorb water and swell, thereby slowing the flow of gas. Successful drilling of the Conasauga involves utilizing techniques minimizing water use and flow into the open-hole drilling techniques.
341:, controlled by the wealthy Tisch family, became a substantial leader in the Conasauga Shale in July 2007 via the purchase of natural gas assets from Dominion. A portion of these purchased assets included all of Dominion Black Warrior Basin, holder of all Dominion's Conasauga Shale assets and a fully owned subsidiary of Dominion. Loews assigned Dominion's Alabama operations to Highmount Exploration.
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1,835 psi (12,650 kPa). The size of the ports were not reported, however, it was estimated that the well was flowing at 8 to 10 million cubic feet (230,000 to 280,000 m) of gas per day. Dominion cemented the drill string in the hole by trying to hang cement at the top of the hole. The cement fell to the bottom of the hole sealing off the good gas zone.
261:, the personnel, and it had to be controlled." When the opposing attorney asked him how good the well was, the engineer said, "To my knowledge we never put that gas through any type of meter." When asked about pressure information for the well, he falsely responded they had none, though after they got the well under control, they bolted a three-port
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The
Conasauga has one of the thickest shale sections in the world. Total organic content of the shale ranges from 0.5% to 1.5%. The Schlumberger Montage Shale log, filed with the Alabama Oil and Gas Board, calculates gas in place as 330.2 billion feet per square mile of gas (3.57 billion m per km) in
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within this territory desiring their natural gas reserves to be developed have the option to sign an agreement with the Gas
District. Royalties provided by the District are equal to 20% of production and are higher than those reportedly being offered by the for-profit operators in surrounding areas.
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started buying leases in the St.Clair and Etowah
Counties in June 2005. In February 2006, Energen drilled the Williams 19-12-101 well 10 mi (16 km) southeast of the Dawson #1. In March 2006, Energen drilled the GAA 23-12 #1 well 9 mi (14 km) northeast of the Dawson #1. This well
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The next day, while drilling at 5,053 ft (1,540 m), the rig broke down and was down for approximately 30 hours During this time the well was flared to the pit, at an estimated 750 to 1000 million feet of gas per day with no apparent pressure draw down. When drilling resumed, it started to
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Dominion took over operations of the prospect and on March 8, 2005 spudded the Dawson 34-3 No. 1 well 970 ft (300 m) west of the Young #1 well. After drilling out from under the surface pipe, they encountered their first good gas kick at 2,510 ft (770 m), which was flared to the
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During the late 1980s
Michigan Oil Co. acquired 8,000 acres (32 km) in this area. Before Michigan Oil could drill this prospect, they were bought out by Pan-Oak Corp in 1991. In 1993, they drilled the Young #2 well, 150 ft (46 m) north of the #1 well. They drilled to a total depth of
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to the blowout preventer. The well's shut-in pressure was reported at 1,835 psi (12,650 kPa). The crew opened up all three ports, and the well blew for twelve hours at 1,755 psi (12,100 kPa) flowing pressure with no pressure draw down. When they shut the well in, it returned to
218:
In July 2002, Red Hills
Resources started leasing in the Young #1 area. After acquiring approximately 9,000 acres (36 km), they put together the Big Canoe Prospect package, which was offered to numerous potential industry partners. In late 2004, Red Hills sold 51% of the prospect to Dominion
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Northeast
Alabama Gas District's territory covers Talladega, Calhoun, and Cleburne Counties, less the areas inside municipal limits and one small area in the Southern part of Cleburne County currently served by another Gas District. The Gas District's territorial limits begin 1.5 mi
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slowed to a 15-foot (4.6 m) lazy flare. At 4:30 PM on March 19, the well encountered its third major gas show when it blew out at 5,915 ft (1,803 m). The explosion of a 100+ -foot (30+ m) plus fire ball was witnessed by numerous valley residents.
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This well is hooked up and selling gas. Late afternoon, on May 14, 2007, this well was flowing at 808 million feet of gas per day with a flowing tubing pressure of 3000 psi. All the surface equipment was covered in several inches of ice, indicating that some
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The Gas
District has five charitable trusts for education, health care, social services, long-term care and economic development and job creation that receive a portion of the natural gas revenues to provide additional benefits for residents in the region.
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could not handle the pressure. Dominion fought the well for three days, during which the rig was at imminent risk of burning down. Their head engineer testified at the
Alabama Oil & Gas Board hearing on February 16, 2007: "We brought in world-class
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drilled the
Williams 29-12 #1 well 10 mi (16 km) southwest of the Dawson #1 well. Immediately after the well was drilled, Energen and Dominion entered a bidding war for the remaining leases in north St. Clair County.
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have a joint venture covering 100,000 acres (400 km) gross, for which
Chesapeake reportedly paid Energen $ 750 per acre, plus a commitment of $ 30 million for joint drilling and development. Chesapeake and Energen have a
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Northeast Alabama Gas District: provided an exclusive franchise for drilling, development and transportation of natural gas within its territory to sister organization Special District: 1,224,960 acres (4,957.2 km)
198:. This well was spudded on October 30, 1984. The well was initially drilled with air to approximately 2,100 ft (640 m) when it encountered a significant quantity of gas that reportedly required closing the
206:(over 28,000 m). The well was plugged on February 16, 1985. It was discovered that Amoco did not have title to nine forties around the Young #1 well because the minerals had been severed in 1888.
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The Dominion Andrews 27-14 #3 well was spudded April 20, 2006 and drilled to 3,412 ft (1,040 m), where the bit fell three feet (0.91 m) and then the well blew out. The rig's
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place for every 4,270 ft (1,300 m) thickness of shale. This area has a unique subsidence and thrust zone under it that geologist William Thomas has classified as a "mushwad".
350:(2.4 km) outside of each incorporated municipality in these three counties and 1,000 ft (300 m) from any municipal pipelines that extent outside the municipalities.
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The Oakes E23-11 #26 was permitted to a depth of 10,000 ft (3,000 m). The well was spudded on February 11, 2007. They set 2,032 ft (619 m) of
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The J.J. Young 34-2 #1 well in St. Clair County, Alabama (Alabama State Oil and Gas Board Permit No. 4325) was drilled as a joint venture between
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is normally used only until penetration into the Conasauga, and then left open-hole so that multiple gas layers within the hole may flow to the
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Highmount Exploration: unknown. The Conasauga acreage is a part of a larger purchase by Loews Corp., owner of Highmount, from Dominion in 2007.
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The Burgess E28-11 #58 well, while drilling (on April 12 that year) at 3,500 ft (1,100 m) kicked so hard that they had to light the
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pit. The second major gas show was encountered at 3,510 ft (1,070 m), when the well exploded with a huge fire ball.
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3,022 ft (921 m) and were unable to log the well. The driller reported that they had good gas shows.
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in the State of Alabama. The District has granted an exclusive franchise for drilling, production and
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Clark, Monica M. (July 31, 2007). "Dominion Closes on Two Onshore E&P Sales for $ 6.5 Billion".
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Highmount Exploration (Owned by Loews Corp. Corporation) Purchased from Dominion E&P assets)
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experts to control this well," and "The gas encountered presented a significant danger to the
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never reached planned total depth due to deviation problems, and was plugged.
283:-inch (240 mm) surface casing. They encountered an excellent gas-filled
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Several preliminary drillings found it could be one of the larger finds of
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Chesapeake–Energen joint venture: 100,000 acres (400 km) gross.
478:"Conasauga Shale Report for Trustees of The Phillips Family Trusts"
330:, whereby they share additional acreage acquired by either entity.
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Energen (independent acreage): 126,000 acres (as of February 2007)
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and carbonates over 15,000 feet (4,600 m) thick in certain areas.
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553:"Natural Gas Fever Hits Alabama: A Peaceful Spot for a Gas Rush"
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Northeast Alabama Gas District (Public Utility Gas District)
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Period part of the Appalachian thrust and fault region of
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Cambrian era rock formation in the southeast United States
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620:Calculations on acreage based on the articles for
578:"Article, Oil and Gas Investor, "Conasauga Saga""
365:created specifically for this purpose. Owners of
582:Referencing Alabama Oil and Gas Board Transcript
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287:at approximately 7,600 ft (2,300 m).
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856:2012–14 Romanian protests against shale gas
830:List of countries by recoverable shale gas
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887:Natural gas fields in the United States
882:Oil-bearing shales in the United States
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82:The subterranean formation consists of
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877:Shale formations of the United States
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55:Fossils from the Conasauga Formation
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476:Meadows, Phillip E. (June 2007).
101:The Conasauga shale overlies the
907:Cambrian System of North America
641:Hubbard, Russell (Feb 8, 2007).
604:"Northeast Alabama Gas District"
557:The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
670:Northeast Alabama Gas District
551:Chapman, Dan (June 10, 2007).
438:Shale gas in the United States
394:Major development participants
345:Northeast Alabama Gas District
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902:Cambrian geology of Tennessee
897:Cambrian Georgia (U.S. state)
515:. Alabama Oil and Gas Board.
433:Geology of the Appalachians
423:Energy in the United States
295:still remained in the gas.
204:million feet of gas per day
186:History and well completion
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851:Balcombe drilling protest
675:Alabama Oil and Gas Board
305:Energen Resources out of
219:Black Warrior Basin Inc.
181:Start of production: 2005
149:The Conasauga Shale is a
107:Talladega County, Alabama
37:33.6986361°N 85.6040944°W
630:Calhoun County, Alabama
359:pipeline transportation
109:, and extends north to
42:33.6986361; -85.6040944
353:The Gas District is a
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719:Geological formations
643:"The Birmingham News"
328:non-compete agreement
61:Conasauga Shale Field
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153:reservoir, like the
307:Birmingham, Alabama
133:Counties, and into
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428:Geology of Alabama
418:Natural gas fields
355:public corporation
250:blowout preventers
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660:Chesapeake Energy
406:Chesapeake Energy
374:Acreage positions
339:Loews Corporation
314:Chesapeake Energy
240:In January 2006,
200:blowout preventer
135:Northwest Georgia
93:in U.S. history.
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892:Cambrian Alabama
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28:85°36′14.74″W
25:33°41′55.09″N
752:Fayetteville
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560:. Retrieved
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757:Haynesville
535:Marketwatch
300:flare stack
145:Natural gas
91:natural gas
40: /
871:Categories
797:By country
782:New Albany
762:Horn River
747:Eagle Ford
444:References
319:Chesapeake
846:Frack Off
767:Marcellus
737:Conasauga
711:Shale gas
334:Highmount
229:gas flare
151:shale gas
119:St. Clair
97:Geography
77:Tennessee
839:Protests
742:Duvernay
412:See also
263:manifold
214:Dominion
167:borehole
127:Cherokee
115:Cleburne
65:Cambrian
815:Romania
772:Montney
732:Barnett
665:Energen
323:Energen
278:⁄
242:Energen
236:Energen
111:Calhoun
73:Georgia
69:Alabama
805:Canada
777:Muskwa
727:Antrim
628:, and
380:gross.
163:Casing
131:DeKalb
129:, and
123:Etowah
84:shales
75:, and
810:China
787:Utica
192:Amoco
159:Texas
63:is a
564:2008
321:and
196:ARCO
194:and
59:The
157:in
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291:CO
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
