Cunningham Energy drills further Rhino programme oil wells

US-based production and exploration company Cunningham Energy has commenced drilling its second and third shallow horizontal oil wells in the Rhino Three Well Drilling Program in West Virginia.

Planned measured depth of the new horizontal wells, the Cochran #5H and Cochran #4H, is 5,200ft with a vertical depth of 2,100ft.

Cunningham noted that all three Rhino horizontal wells are targeting oil in the Big Injun sand formation in the Union District of Clay County. It is using one of its three top drive drilling rigs, the Speedstar 185, in conjunction with the new wells.

Using varying spacing, each well bore on the Rhino pad is scheduled to be completed with multiple frac stages dependent on future wireline data.

Ryan Cunningham of Cunningham Energy said that the company is using the new horizontal method of oil production.

"The company is seeing excellent oil shows and reservoir characteristics through the Rhino drilling program thus far and we expect that trend to continue as these next two wells reach total depth," Cunningham added.

"The Big Injun formation has been nothing short of spectacular so far in terms of geologic analysis from the first Rhino well, the Cochran #6H."

For compartmentalisation of the reservoir during stimulation, the company has selected the Packers Plus System frac system and expects completion of the Rhino drilling programme in May.

Cunningham Energy was formed in 2008 for the purpose of acquiring, exploring, and producing oil and gas in the Appalachian, Illinois, and Williston Basins.