XCL Resources’ Post

With aggregate production over 100,000 barrels a day and per-well performance comparable to the Permian, the Uinta Basin unconventional plays have arrived. But with a unique geologic setting in an ancient lake, how much can we learn from other plays like the Permian? Here, I'm plotting 1-year well performance for the Uinta, Delaware, Williston, and Midland Basins. You'll notice that average performance in the Uinta (for wells since 2019) just beats out the other basins, though there still a large spread in outcomes. The Lower Green River / Upper Wasatch of the Uinta Basin is unique in that the rocks were deposited in a lacustrine setting, rather than a marine like the other plays shown here. Because of this, the wells produce a waxy crude oil that solidifies at room temperature, and traditional geologic analysis doesn't neatly cross-apply. In this URTeC study with geologists from XCL Resources--a leader in the play--we combined detailed geologic analysis with machine learning models to unpack performance drivers. Interestingly, the Uteland Butte, a more "unconventional" zone in the Lower Green River, showed strong performance influence from factors like overpressure and organic porosity, in addition to operator-controlled factors like completions design. The Castle Peak, a more conventional zone, was relatively more influenced by geological factors rather than operator-controlled ones. In comparison with the Permian and Williston, the Uteland Butte showed broadly similar modeled responsiveness to intensive completions and development densities. With thousands of feet of stacked pay zones, the future is bright for the play. Thanks to authors Josh Sigler and Luke Fidler for their work on this study! To learn more, attend our talk on Wednesday the 18th or visit our website to download the paper (link in picture). #oilgas #uinta #permian