on those locations. We plan to spend approximately
$35.0 million on drilling expenditures in 2005, comprised of approximately
34 wells (14.4 net). We also plan to spend $5 million to purchase
and reprocess 3-D seismic surveys during 2005.
TEXAS - WILCOX AREAS
We have licenses for approximately 2,066 square
miles of 3-D seismic data and 17,966 net acres of leasehold in the
Wilcox trend in Texas. From January 1, 2001 through December 31,
2004, we drilled and completed 33 wells (10.9 net) on 39 attempts
in this area. We incurred capital expenditures of $9.2 million and
drilled 11 wells (4.6 net) in the Texas Wilcox area in 2004 and
expect to devote approximately $4.9 million to drill nine wells
(3.5 net) in this area in 2005. As of March 1, 2005, we have identified
over 25 exploratory drilling locations, with an additional 37 potential
extension opportunities, in the Wilcox trend over which we have
licenses for 3-D seismic data and leased acreage. Approximately
12 of the 25 exploratory locations we have identified are relatively
lower risk and generally shallower with the remainder being relatively
higher risk and deeper with greater upside potential.
TEXAS FRIO/VICKSBURG/YEGUA AREAS
This combined trend area sometimes overlaps
but is generally closer to the Texas Gulf Coast than the Wilcox
areas discussed above. In any particular target or prospect in this
area, the Frio is the shallower formation, above the deeper Vicksburg
and still deeper Yegua formations. We have licenses for a total
of over 2,166 miles of 3-D seismic data and 7,750 net leasehold
acres over this trend. Since 1999, we have focused primarily in
Matagorda County, the location of the Providence Field, and in Brooks
County, the location of the Encinitas Field.
As of March 1, 2005, we have identified
over 21 exploratory drilling locations with an additional 19 potential
extension opportunities (depending on the success of our initial
drilling activities on those locations) in the Frio/ Vicksburg trend
area over which we have licenses for 3-D seismic data and leased
acreage. Approximately 14 of the 21 exploratory locations we have
identified are relatively lower risk and generally shallower with
the remaining seven being relatively higher risk and deeper with
greater upside potential.
From January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2004,
we drilled and completed 41 wells (9.3 net) in 46 attempts in this
trend. We incurred capital expenditures of $8.7 million and drilled
16 wells (4.5 net) in the Frio/Vicksburg trend area in 2004 and
expect to devote approximately $6.3 million to drill nine wells
(2.7 net) in this area in 2005.
Providence Field. We have licenses for
over 540 square miles of 3-D data in and surrounding the Providence
Field we discovered in 2001. Since the discovery well commenced
production in January 2002, six wells have been drilled and successfully
completed. Four of the wells had average production rates ranging
from 14,339 to 17,669 Mcfe per day per well during the first 90
full days of production. The field has cumulative production as
of December 31, 2004 of 18.0 Bcfe. We have working interests ranging
from 35% to 45% in the leases in this field and operate four of
the six wells.
Encinitas Field. This field, the site
of our first 3-D seismic survey in 1995, has 32 wells currently
producing. Since 1996, we have participated in the drilling of 29
wells (5.4 net) in this area, 27 (4.9 net) of which were successfully
completed. During 2004, we participated in the drilling of five
wells, all of which were successfully completed. We expect to drill
four wells (1.1 net) in 2005, with an additional eight well locations
to be drilled thereafter. We expect to have a 27.5% working interest
in those wells.
SOUTHEAST TEXAS AREAS
The Southeast Texas area contains similar objective
levels found in the Frio/Vicksburg/Yegua trend area. We separate
this as a focus area because of the geographic concentration of
our 3-D seismic data and because reservoirs in this area can display
seismic amplitude anomalies. Seismic amplitude anomalies can be
interpreted as an indicator of hydrocarbons, although these anomalies
are not necessarily reliable as to hydrocarbon presence or productivity.
We have acquired licenses for approximately 881 square miles of
3-D data over our Southeast Texas project area which is focused
primarily on the Frio, Yegua, Cook Mountain and Vicksburg formations.
As of March 1, 2005, we have identified over
22 exploratory drilling locations with an additional 12 potential
extension locations in the Southeast Texas area over which we have
licenses for 3-D seismic data. Approximately 18 of the 22 exploratory
locations we have identified are relatively lower risk and generally
shallower with the remaining four being relatively higher risk and
deeper with greater upside potential.
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