1 According to IHS Inc., Chesapeake Operating Inc. of Oklahoma City has completed a horizontal Niobrara project on the southern flank of the Powder River Basin that initially flowed 1,770 bbl. of oil equivalent per day (1,270 bbl. of oil and 2.4 million cu. ft. of gas). The #33-71 25-1H Sims is in Section 25-33n-71w of Converse County, Wyo. Production comes from a fractured horizontal Niobrara lateral. The venture was drilled to 15,564 ft. Additional completion details are not available from the Fetter Field well.

2 Devon Energy Production Co. has received permits for nine new horizontal tests in a non-producing Denver-Julesburg Basin township in Goshen County, Wyo. Oklahoma City-based Devon received permits for #14-444H H&T Ranch, in Section 4-24n-64w; #14-844H H&T Ranch, Section 8-24n-64w; #4-1244H Teeters, Section 12-24n-64w; #14-1444H H&T Ranch, Section 14-24n-64w; #14-1744H Baumgardner, Section 17-24n-64w; #15-2244H H&T Ranch, Section 22-24n-64w; #14-2644H Newton Ranches, Section 26-24n-64w; #16-2944H H&T Ranch, Section 29-24n-64w; and #14-3544H Newton Ranches, in Section 35-24n-64w. All wells are projected to depths ranging from 11,476 ft. to 12,615 ft. According to IHS Inc., the drillsites are about 15 miles south and east of Chugspring Field, which is comprised of four scattered Niobrara/Codell wells in neighboring Platt County.

3 SM Energy Co. of Denver completed a horizontal Niobrara delineation test that flowed at a seven-day average production rate of 950 bbl. of oil equivalent per day. The #1-24H Polaris is in Section 24-15n-65w of Laramie County, Wyo. The well, in an as-yet unnamed field, produces from a fractured horizontal Niobrara lateral that was drilled to an approximate measured total depth of 12,200 ft. and a projected true vertical depth of 8,193 ft. SM holds a 38% working interest in the new producer, which is about two miles west of Silo Field.

4 A Niobrara wildcat discovery was reported by Anadarko Petroleum Co. in Laramie County, Wyo. The Denver-Jules-burg Basin completion, #13-65-10-4H Shatto, is in Section 10-13n-65w and flowed 596 bbl. of oil, 208,000 cu. ft. of gas and 419 bbl. of water daily. Production comes from an openhole horizontal interval at 8,867-14,129 ft. following 20-stage fracture stimulation. Gauged on a 64/64-in. choke, the flowing tubing pressure was 120 psi. The true vertical depth is 8,400 ft. Anadarko is based in Houston.

5 Peter K. Roosevelt has staked a 3,300-ft. wildcat on the Black Hills Uplift to evaluate the Leo (Minnelusa) sand in Fall River County, S.D. The #3-24 Fiddle-Federal is in Section 24-9s-1e and is west of Porter Ranch Field. A 1987 discovery by the Denver-based operator, #6-21 Porter, was drilled to 2,847 ft. and initially pumped 18 bbl. of oil and 137 bbl. of water per day from Second Leo at 2,689-93 ft. The new venture is a twin to a 3,341-ft. dry hole—#21-24 Fiddle-Federal, in the same section. That well was plugged in 1986 after a drillstem test of first Leo between 3,090 and 3,111 ft. recovered 10 ft. of mud-cut oil, 62 ft. of slightly gas and oil-cut muddy water and 779 ft. of very slightly oil- and gas-cut water.

6 Austin-based Brigham Exploration Co. completed two horizontal Middle Bakken exploratory tests in Roosevelt County, Mont. The #1-H Charley 10-15 is in Section 10-28n-57e and was completed for an early 24-hour peak flow rate of 1,069 bbl. of oil equivalent (917 bbl. of oil and 910,000 cu. ft. of gas per day). The horizontal Middle Bakken lateral was tested following 30 stages of fracture stimulation. The venture was drilled to 19,482 ft. with a bottomhole location in Section 15-28n-57e and the true vertical total depth was 10,139 ft. The #1-H Gobbs 17-8 is in Section 17-28n-57e. The well had a 24-hour peak flow rate of 1,818 bbl. of oil equivalent (1,544 bbl. of oil and 1.64 million cu. ft. of gas) following 36 stages of fracture stimulation. The 19,435-ft. venture bottomed in Section 8-28n-57e and the true vertical total depth was 10,076 ft. It was drilled on a 1,280-acre spacing unit covering all of sections 8 and 17.

7 In Golden Valley County, N.D., Whiting Oil & Gas Inc. completed its first well on its Big Island prospect. The Red River wildcat, #23-22 Maus, initially pumped 282 bbl. of oil per day and is in Section 22-141n-104w of the county. The vertical well was drilled to 12,450 ft. and additional completion details are not available. The Big Island prospect comprises 119,784 net acres prospective for Red River and Scallion in Golden Valley County, and the Denver-based company has locations staked for three wildcats on the prospect.

8 Two horizontal Three Forks wildcats are planned in non-producing townships in southwestern Stark County, N.D. Chesapeake Operating Inc. will drill #1H A Schoch 21-137-97 in Section 21-137n-97w to 19,857 ft., 9,771 ft. true vertical, with a planned bottomhole location in Section 33-137n-97w. According to IHS Inc., Chesapeake will drill a vertical pilot hole to 10,165 ft., kick off the vertical pilot hole at 9,456 ft., building angle to a 7-in. casing point of 10,207 ft. and then drill a 9,650-ft. horizontal lateral in Three Forks to total depth. The #1H A Schoch 21-137-97 will be drilled on a 1,280-acre spacing unit comprising all of sections 28 and 33. In Section 30-138-95w, #1H A Zent 30-138-95 will be drilled southward to a bottomhole location in Section 31-138n-95w. True vertical total depth is expected to be 9,645 ft. Plans call for a vertical pilot hole to be drilled to 10,040 ft., then kicking off the vertical hole at 9,293 ft., building angle to a seven-in. casing point of 10,046 ft. and drilling a 9,648-ft. horizontal lateral in Three Forks to total depth. The well is on a 1,280-acre spacing unit comprising all of sections 30 and 31.

9 Newfield Exploration Co. of Houston completed a horizontal Bakken producer on the Nesson Anticline that initially flowed 5,200 bbl. of oil equivalent per day (24-hour average). The #152-96-4-2H Wisness-Federal is in Section 4-152n-96w of McKenzie County, N.D. The Westberg Field producer was drilled to 18,900 ft. and production comes from a 5,300-ft. Bakken lateral. Additional completion information was not made available.

10 A horizontal Niobrara wildcat in the Denver-Julesburg Basin initially flowed 1,061 bbl. of oil and 1.56 million cu. ft. of gas for

Whiting Oil & Gas Corp. The Weld County Colo., producer, #16-13H Wild Horse, is in Section 16-9n-59w on the Denver-based company’s Redtail prospect. The venture was drilled to 10,132 ft. and production comes from a 4,113-ft. horizontal lateral at a true vertical depth of 6,762 ft. Gauged on a one-in. choke, the casing pressure was 270 psi. The discovery was fracture stimulated in 21 stages, all using sliding sleeve technology.

11 EOG Resources Inc. of Houston reported two non-Hereford Field horizontal Niobrara producers in Weld County, Colo. The #9-10H Fiscus Mesa is in Section 10-9n-58w and had a controlled flow rate of 335 bbl. and 174,000 cu. ft. of gas. The well produces from a fractured horizontal Niobrara lateral after drilling to 10,179 ft. with a bottomhole location in the same section. The true vertical total depth is 5,675 ft. EOG’s #9-09H Gravel Draw had an initial controlled flow rate of 277 bbl. of oil and 146,000 cu. ft. of gas daily from a fractured horizontal Niobrara lateral drilled to 11,071 ft., and a true vertical depth of 6,545 ft. EOG holds a 75% working interest in this well.

12 In an abandoned producing area in Kiowa County, Colo., Mull Drilling Co. completed a Mississippian producer. The #1-30 WF-Michel is in Section 30-18s-45w and pumped 50 bbl. of 39-degree-gravity oil per day, with no water, from 4,687-92 ft.; 4,696-4,701 ft.; 4,738-44 ft.; and 4,751-55 ft. after three small acid treatments. The Wichita, Kan.,-based company reported no recovery during a production test of Warsaw at 4,872-81 ft. and closed off that zone with a bridge plug. The new well by Mull is the fourth well completed since 1970 in an area northwest of the main body of Brandon Field.

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.