1 A deeper-pool test has been permitted by Howard Energy Corp. in Aden South Field, an oil reservoir in Hamilton County, Ill. The #1 Webb is slated to be vertically drilled to 5,500 ft. in Section 19-3s-7e and targets deeper pays in Devonian. According to IHS Inc., shallower oil production (3,400-3,500 ft.) in Aden South Field is a little more than a half-mile to the southeast. First production from the field was reported in 1945 with reservoir output coming from five Mississippian pays, ranging from Aux Vases to Salem. Nearest Devonian oil production is in the Wayne County portion of Aden Consolidated Field, about two miles northeast of Howard Energy’s planned drillsite. The most recent well was drilled in 2007: Sunrise Exploration’s #3A Anderson in Section 34-2s-7e reached 4,200 ft. It was tested pumping crude through perforations in Ohara at 3,292-98 ft. and Salem Lime at 3,994-4,129 ft. Howard Energy Corp.’s headquarters are in Traverse City, Mich.

2 In Gibson County, Ind., Hite Energy LLC has permitted a 2,650-ft. wildcat about one mile east of a test abandoned by the operator earlier in 2011. The #1 Hirsch exploratory test is planned for Section 32-3s-11w and targets McClosky pay (Mississippian). About one-half mile west in the same section, the company’s #1 Bratton was drilled to 2,665 ft. in Mississippian; results from that well are not available. Hite Energy’s headquarters are in Evansville, Ind.

3 A Choctaw County, Ala., Smackover completion on the east flank of Gin Creek Field flowed 391 bbl of 40.3-degreegravity oil and 250,000 cu ft. of gas. Ridgeland, Miss.-based Crosby Creek Oil & Gas’ #1 McPhearson 32-12 is in Section 32-10n-4w and was drilled to 14,200 ft. Production comes from perforations at 13,528-38 ft. Tested on a 24/64-in. choke, the flowing tubing pressure was 422 psi.

4 Apache Corp. of Houston is drilling a deep Norphlet test on Mobile Block 830, just off the coast of Alabama’s Baldwin County. The #2 OCS G27973 is in irregular Block 830 and the water depth is 40 ft. Rights to the 2,909-acre lease were acquired at OCS Sale 198 in 2006. A discovery well in Block 830 was drilled by Devon Energy in 2009 to 22,550 ft. in Norphlet: #1 OCS G27973 flowed gas from perforations at 21,897-21,987 ft. A sidetrack was later drilled to approximately 24,000 ft. in 2010. The only commercial recovery on the block came from a shallow Miocene well completed in 1989, #1 OCS G06845. The discovery flowed 1.39 million cu. ft. of gas per day from Miocene at 1,580-96 ft.

5 In Conecuh County, Ala., DeSoto Oil Properties completed a Smackover well that flowed 200 bbl. of oil and 168 bbl. of water per day. The #1 ATIC 26-11 is in Section 26-4n-7e with production from acidized perforations at 13,747-76 ft. The 14,245-ft. directional well was originally completed in 1994 through a Smackover zone at 13,747-56 ft. At the original completion the initial daily potential was 410 bbl. of oil and 705,000 cu. ft. of gas from Barnett North Field. The only other producer in Barnett North Field is Coastal Oil & Gas Co.’s #1 Escambia River 26-7, in 1990, which opened the field. The #1 Escambia River 26-7 initially flowed 603 bbl. of oil per day from Smackover at 13,420-56 ft. Additional Smackover reservoirs in the area include Barnett, Barnett Northeast and Barnett East fields. DeSoto is based in Pensacola, Fla.

6 A Washita-Fredericksburg oil well has been completed by Spooner Petroleum Co. in Escambia County, Ala. The #3 Powell 3-12 flowed 232 bbl. of oil and 66,000 cu. ft. of gas per day. Tested on a 7/64-in. choke, the flowing tubing pressure was 1,080 psi with production from perforations at 8,355-68 ft., after the well was drilled to 8,500 ft. in Section 3-1n-8e. The new Spooner completion is a southern offset to the operator’s #1 Powell-Rabon 3-11 in the same section: the 8,575-ft. workover was tested in mid-2008 flowing 200 bbl. of 49.8-degree-gravity oil and 8,000 cu. ft. of gas per day from Cretaceous Cogle at 6,575-81 ft. in East Lambeth Church Field. Ridgeland, Miss.-based Spooner has also staked #1 Powell 3-5 in Section 3. According to the permit, the well will be drilled to Paluxy.

7 Denver-based Whiting Oil & Gas Corp. plans to drill a Prairie du Chien test in Gladwin County, Mich., along the southeastern edge of Buckeye South Field. According to IHS Inc., #33-9 State Billings is scheduled to be drilled to 12,330 ft. in Section 9-17n-1e, with a bottomhole planned in the same section. Whiting drilled a horizontal lateral out of #2-9A Wineman Unit B and at last report the company was waiting on production tests.

8 Sinclair Oil & Gas Co. is drilling another horizontal exploratory test in Livingston County, Mich., as part of the company’s Niagaran Brown drilling program. The #1-11 HD1 Sharpe is a proposed 8,908-ft. (4,471 ft. true vertical) well in Section 2-3n-5e. The bottomhole is expected to be to the southeast beneath Section 11. Offsetting #1-11 HD1 Sharpe, according to IHS Inc., is the surface location of Sinclair’s #1-2H Line. The horizontal well was tested in July 2009 flowing 2.4 million cu. ft. of gas per day from Niagaran Brown at 5,022-9,075 ft. Through mid-2011, the well has produced 133 million cu. ft. of gas, 3,536 bbl. of condensate and 435 bbl. of water. The producer was drilled to 9,075 ft., 4,421 ft. true vertical and bottomed a mile to the southeast beneath Section 11. Sinclair Oil & Gas is based in Salt Lake City.

9 Trendwell Energy Corp. has filed a permit application to drill a western Monroe County, Mich., exploratory test. The #18-D4 Secor is planned to reach 3,000 ft. in Section 18-7s-6e. The vertical venture targets oil in Trenton/Black River. About one mile west, a 1983 venture (#1-18 McHenry) was tested pumping 1 bbl. of crude and 25,000 cu. ft. of gas per day through perforations at 1,958-2,010 ft. The 2,046-ft. well is part of Summerfield Section 19 Field, where Trenton oil production was established in 1982. About seven miles west, Savoy Energy LP’s #1-17 Eisenmann was drilled in Section 17-7s-5e and was abandoned in mid-2011 at a total depth of 3,235 ft. in Prairie du Chien. Trendwell Energy’s headquarters are in Rockford, Mich.

10 More Utica shale tests have been permitted by Chesapeake Energy Corp. in eastern Ohio’s Carroll County. A number of oil and gas wells have been drilled in this part of Carroll County, with the bulk drilled to depths of less than 1,400 ft. A few deeper gas wells were drilled to around 6,300 ft. The #1H Houyouse 15-13-5 horizontal well will be in Section 15-13n-5w and is slated to be drilled to 13,439 ft. It will bottom about one mile to the northwest beneath Section 22. The #8H Houyouse 15-13-5 will also be horizontally drilled from the same surface location as #1H Houyouse 15-13-5 and is permitted to bottom a mile to the southeast beneath Section 8. The proposed total depth is 13,779 ft. In Chesapeake’s White lease in Section 17, three as-yet-unnamed horizontal Utica tests are planned. East of the White lease is Chesapeake’s Snoddy lease on Section 11. Two horizontal tests have been permitted on the Snoddy acreage. Chesapeake’s new locations are in the wet-gas window of the play. The oil window is farther west in Ohio, while the dry-gas window encompasses the far eastern part of the state. The Oklahoma City-based company now holds 1.36 million net acres of exploration land. To date, Chesapeake has spudded 19 horizontal wells, with eight wells completed in the play.

All data in the Exploration Highlights section is based on sources believed to be reliable, but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. The prudent investor intending to act upon any particular data is urged to verify it with all other available sources. In no way should the publication of these items be construed as an express or implied endorsement of a company or its activities.

Most land in the U.S. is divided into townships—rectangular tracts six miles square. The township, in turn, is divided into 36 numbered sections, each a one-mile square. The lines running north-south and dividing east from west are called range lines. The lines running east-west and dividing north from south are township lines.

A well in Section 15-Township 4 north-Range 3 east is abbreviated: 15-4n-3e.