1. In Nevada’s White River Valley, Bestoso Oil & Gas Inc. has staked a 14,000-ft. wildcat in Section 20-5n-61e of Nye County. The #1 Arc is about 26 miles east of Grant Canyon Field, the most prolific oil field in Nevada. Grant Canyon Field was discovered in 1983 at #1 Grant Canyon that initially flowed 1,816 bbl. of oil per day from Devonian Guilmette at 4,374-4,426 ft. In December 2012, the field’s four active wells combined to produce 4,418 bbl. of oil and 47,451 bbl. of water. About 16 miles north-northeast, Bright Sky Energy & Minerals Inc. has a location staked for a 12,500-ft. wildcat at #1-35 White River Valley. No activity has been reported at this Nye County site. Bestoso Oil & Gas is based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

2. Newfield Exploration Co. has completed four horizontal wells in the “pressured” section of Uteland Butte (lower Green River) in what the company is calling the “Central Basin region” of the Uinta Basin in Duchesne County, Utah. Newfield’s Central Basin region wells are in an unnamed field area in the 10-mile gap separating the Bluebell/Altamont complex to the north and the greater Monument Butte Field to the south.

The #4-24-3-2WH Ute Tribal, Section 24-3s-2w, initially flowed 1,251 bbl. of oil equivalent per day. It was drilled southward to 13,334 ft. at an anticipated true vertical depth of 9,085 ft. The company noted that the well had a 30-day-average production rate of 739 bbl. of oil equivalent per day.

In Section 5-3s-3w, Houstonbased Newfield completed a horizontal Uteland Butte producer: #2-5-3-3WH Ute Tribal initially flowed 1,014 bbl. of oil per day. The venture was drilled southward to 13,600 ft. In Section 11- 3s-3w, #2-11-3-3WH Lusty had initial flowing potential of 1,020 bbl. of oil equivalent per day from a horizontal Uteland Butte lateral drilled southward to 13,438 ft. The expected true vertical depth was 9,019 ft. This well had a 30-day-average production rate of 692 bbl. of oil equivalent per day. The #4-29-3-3WH Ute Tribal, Section 20-3s-3w, initially flowed 595 bbl. of oil equivalent per day. Its 30-day-average production rate was 379 bbl. of oil equivalent per day.

Production is from a horizontal Uteland Butte lateral drilled southward 12,908 ft. at a bottomhole in Section 29-3s-3w and the true vertical depth was anticipated at 8,416 ft.

3. Black Hills Plateau Production LLC completed a horizontal Niobrara/Mancos discovery at #21-41 Homer Deep Unit in Section 21-8s-98w of Mesa County, Colo. The well initially flowed 4 million cu. ft. of gas and 100 bbl. of water per day from a horizontal Niobrara/Mancos interval at 8,250-12,038 ft. after 17 stages of fracture stimulation. The lateral extends from 8,044 ft. south-southeastward to 12,168 ft. at a bottomhole location in Section 22-8s-98w. Additional completion information is not available from the Denverbased company.

4. According to IHS Inc., Quicksilver Resources Inc. completed an offset to the company’s Niobrara discovery in Moffat County, Colo., that initially pumped 165 bbl. of 42-degree- gravity oil with 145,000 cu. ft. of gas and 79 bbl. of water per day. The #12-30 Simoes is in Section 30-6n-90w. Production is from four fracture-stimulated Niobrara stages at 6,710-25 ft., 7,033-7,233 ft., 7,322-7,565 ft. and 7,725-7,992 ft. It was vertically drilled to 8,479 ft. Quicksilver has locations staked for four more vertical Niobrara tests in Section 30-6n-90w (#22-30 Simoes, #32-30 Stoddard, 3#4-30 Stoddard) and #31-30 Simoes). Quicksilver’s headquarters are in Fort Worth, Texas.

5. Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Operating Inc. has completed a horizontal exploratory test that flowed 1,048 bbl. of 48.4-degree-gravity oil, 4.36 million cu. ft. of gas and 1,315 bbl. of load water per day. According to IHS Inc., #31-33-69- A-3H York Ranch Unit is in Section 31-33n-69w of Converse County, Wyo., and is producing from a horizontal lateral in Niobrara extending north-north - westward to a 16,670 ft. at a bottomhole location in Section 30- 33n-69w. The Power River Basin well was tested following an 18- stage fracture stimulation between 11,219 ft. and 16,530 ft. Tested on a 30/64-in. choke, the casing pressure was 2,450 psi. The true vertical depth is 10,857 ft.

6. IHS Inc. reported that ConocoPhillips has scheduled a 12,290-ft. horizontal Niobrara exploratory test just outside the company’s Lowry Range in the Denver-Julesburg Basin in Section 28-4s-64w in Arapahoe County, Colo. The #28-1H Tebo will be horizontally drilled eastward and the true vertical depth in Niobrara C zone is anticipated at about 7,700 ft. Completion is anticipated in a Niobrara C lateral at 8,089-12,290 ft. The Houstonbased company completed #32- 3H Tebo in 2012 as a horizontal Niobrara oil producer. January output averaged about 77 bbl. of oil, 184,709 cu. ft. of gas and 11 bbl. of water per day. ConocoPhillips has released no completion details. The Tebo wells are 1-3 miles generally southwest of Chalice Field, a J sand oil and gas reservoir.

7. A remote horizontal Three Forks discovery in Sheridan County, Mont., was announced by Denver-based Whiting Oil & Gas Inc. The #31-25TFH Gronlie Farms is in Section 25- 31n-55e and initially flowed 130 bbl. of oil, 119,000 cu. ft. of gas and 291 bbl. of water per day. According to IHS Inc., production is from a fractured horizontal lateral in Three Forks extending from 9,433 ft. southward to 18,802 ft. at a bottomhole location in Section 36-31n-55e. The true vertical depth is 9,194 ft. A vertical pilot hole was drilled to 11,976 ft. It’s the first producer in a lightly-drilled township approximately three miles southwest of Pelican Field, an abandoned Red River oil pool.

8. In Golden Valley County, N.D., Whiting Oil & Gas Inc. completed a directionallydrilled well on the company’s Big Island prospect. The #33-23 Katherine is in Section 23-141n- 104w and initially pumped 560 bbl. of 33.5-degree-gravity oil with 195,000 cu. ft. of gas and 33 bbl. of water per day. Production is from two acidized and perforated Ordovician Red River intervals at 12,216-40 and 12,246-73 ft. The venture was directionally drilled about 775 ft. southwestward to 12,541 ft. and the true vertical depth is 12,498 ft. In 2012, Whiting completed #44-22 Rieckoff in Section 22-141n- 104w, initially pumping 455 bbl. of 32.7-degree-gravity oil with 152,000 cu. ft. of gas and 20 bbl. of water per day from an acidized Red River interval at 12,224-75 ft.

9. Mountainview Energy Inc. has completed a Three Forks exploratory test that initially flowed 574 bbl. of oil equivalent per day. The #35-26- 1H Olson is in Section 35-163n- 101w of Divide County, N.D. It was tested following a 26-stage plug and perf fracture stimulation in a horizontal Three Forks lateral drilled to 18,416 ft. The Cut Bank, Mont.-based company installed an artificial lift system on the well and placed it on production in April. The peak production day for the initial four-day test on this well was 2,057 bbl. per day of fluid (at 19% oil cut) and 1.09 million cu. ft. of gas per day. During that four-day test the well averaged 1,273 bbl. per day of fluid (at 21% oil cut) and 649,000 cu. ft. of gas per day.

10. A Lincoln County, Colo., Mississippian Spergen oil discovery was announced by Nighthawk Production LLC. The #8-10 Steamboat-Hansen is in Section 10-6s-54w and initially pumped 230 bbl. of 38-degreegravity oil and 50,000 cu. ft. of gas. A previous six-hour pump test produced 46 bbl. of oil and 12,000 cu. ft. of gas with no water. The untreated Spergen production intervals are 8,027-40 ft., 8,049-55 ft. and 8,055-65 ft. It was vertically drilled to 8,500 ft. The well was completed without acid stimulation or clean-up and produced almost no water. The discovery opens Arikaree Creek Field. Nighthawk’s headquarters are in Highlands Ranch, Colo.

***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.