Northcote completes fracture stimulation of West Little Drum well

Oil and gas exploration and production company Northcote has successfully completed fracture stimulation of the West Little Drum well in Oklahoma.

Stimulation of the well located on the company’s 51% owned Horizon project resulted in a significant increase of over 600% in production compared to pre-frac levels.

It reported an average of 40 barrels of oil per day (bopd) for the last seven days and an average of 35 bopd over the entire 20 day post-frac period.

Natural gas production at the four well unit increased from a pre-frac average of 43 million cubic feet a day (Mcf/d) in September to an average of 118 Mcf/d since resumption of natural gas sales.

The frac at West Little Drum, which commenced on 9 October, was completed at a gross cost of $150,000. This is expected to be payed back from net operating cash flows within three months.

West Little Drum is the third of a four well frac programme for the company in 2013.

Northcote chief executive officer Randy Connally said that the company hopes to complete the final frac of its 2013 programme before the end of the year.

"Reflecting on the substantial progress made since IPO, the frac programme is now just one part of our focus across what is now a much enhanced and diversified asset base covering over 4,000 net mineral acres," Connally added.