Whitebark Energy Ltd (ASX:WBE) advises that a 28-stage fracture stimulation program will begin today at the Rex well within the Point Loma Joint Venture (PLJV) Wizard Lake project in Alberta, Canada.
The program will take place in the Rex reservoir zone in the horizontal section of the well between 1562- 2739 metres measured depth.
Fraccing is being undertaken with the aim of increasing the flowing area of the reservoir, which directly influences the well’s capacity to yield oil.
READ: Whitebark Energy to begin frac work at promising exploration well in Alberta, Canada
Frac work is the practice of injecting a well with large amounts of proppants under high pressure to break the reservoir rocks and allow hydrocarbons to flow through the open cracks in the rocks.
The increase in well flowing area achieved as technology has improved.
Due to the continuous nature of the reservoir in the horizontal section, frac stages have been evenly spaced along the well bore at about 45 metres apart.
Each stage will emplace about 30 tonnes of proppant to establish a frac half-length of over 50 metres.
The frac work is expected to be completed within three to four days and will be followed by clean-up flows and testing.
Rex prospect has the potential for 12-14 follow up development wells.
READ: Whitebark Energy prepares for horizontal drilling at Wizard Lake Rex well
Whitebark holds a number of licences varying between 20% and 30% interest in Alberta as part of its joint venture with Point Loma Resources Ltd (CVE:PLX).
The PLJV is an established producer with existing oil and gas processing facilities and pipelines into markets.
Wizard Lake Rex well was spud on November 24, 2018, and drilling finished on December 2.
The well intersected a continuous reservoir section from the casing shoe with predominately good quality reservoir accompanied by excellent oil shows and elevated gas readings.
Rex target at Wizard Lake is the first horizontal well to be drilled in what could be a multi-well program analogous to the offsetting Leduc area Rex.
Recent activity in this area resulted in highly commercial wells.
The target zone in PLJV lands has similar porosity but is thicker than at the Leduc area.