Utica oil window.... What about Marcellus oil window is there one?

All you hear about is the Utica oil window and the wet gas of the Marcellus  what about the crude area of the Marcellus.  Is it tightly held in place like the Utica?

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Permalink Reply by pg guy on December 5, 2013 at 3:51am

For an oil window to exist, the formation must have been shallow enough to avoid higher temperatures and higher pressures that "overcook" the hydrocarbons, converting ancient crude oil into the lighter condensate, then high btu gas, and dry natural gas.  Unfortunately, as the Marcellus gets shallower into its northwestern extreme, it also gets thinner, to the point of pinching out entirely. 

There may be some some theoretical area where Marcellus is shallow enough to generate (preserve?) crude, and thick enough to allow economic extraction of crude oil, but not likely widespread.  Perhaps a geologist may wish to address this idea, but it may be that Marcellus is the source rock for some of the billions of barrels of crude produced from the Upper Devonian in NW PA and SW NY over the last 150 years.

Permalink Reply by Charles Randolph on December 5, 2013 at 5:13am

Off the top of my head, I believe there were Marcellus wells in a small pocket of SW PA which were producing oil (Maybe Washington County ?)  (Maybe Chesapeake as producer ?). Seems like I also recall viewing some metadata that 50,000 barrels of oil in total had been produced from the Marcellus in PA in one recent year.  Somebody could double check those figures. 

Permalink Reply by pg guy on December 5, 2013 at 5:43am

I could well be mistaken, but I think the Washington County liquids would all be high gravity, like condensate, not actual crude oil.  There have been some instances in reporting Marcellus and Utica where high gravity liquids have been (carelessly or inaccurately) referred to as crude oil.

I believe any actual crude oil produced from Marcellus would be found only in NW corner of PA.

Permalink Reply by rmc on December 5, 2013 at 1:42pm
According to a article in the wheeling Intelgencer some time back Chesapeake reported recovering crude oil from some of there wells in Ohio county WV
Permalink Reply by Todd on December 5, 2013 at 6:58pm
There's a lot of crude oil in Washington County, PA and Brooke and Ohio Counties, WV.
Permalink Reply by David Perotto on December 6, 2013 at 12:59am

Range is pulling lots of oil/condensate from the Marcellus in SW PA.

For example look up the well details for one Washington County well, on the PA website:

well #125-22600 Lowry

https://www.paoilandgasreporting.state.pa.us/publicreports/Modules/...

Just from this one well leads to the conclusion that there is a large quantity being produced.

Go to rangeresources.com and view their November presentation, they speak to the wet/dry areas.

Permalink Reply by Trapper on December 6, 2013 at 3:05am
Now David.....you must know all the oil is west of the Ohio River....:-")
Permalink Reply by Charles Randolph on December 6, 2013 at 3:16am

The Lowry well only shows gas and condensate production. If you guys will look further, I think you'll find some Chesapeake wells in Washington County reporting crude oil production.

Permalink Reply by pg guy on December 6, 2013 at 3:38am

Not to try to make too fine a point, but I still believe that Washington County Marcellus liquids production is actually higher gravity, condensate material.  It may have been reported inaccurately as crude oil.  I would welcome any access (via posting on this site) to any published material that show the API gravity of this material in the low 50 degrees, or into the 40s.

Not saying that it isn't so that there is crude oil produced from the Marcellus in SW PA or WV, it is just that I have never seen public information that is specific enough to verify that the liquids are crude oil.  I have heard lots of admittedly anecdotal accounts from industry sources (mid-stream and producers) indicating higher gravity liquids, not ever crude oil.

Permalink Reply by Charles Randolph on December 6, 2013 at 4:11am

It's not too fine a point at all, PG GUY. The original post was about crude oil, so let's stick with crude oil and not confuse the issue.  Once someone spends the time to locate the specific info on those wells in Washington County which made "reports" of crude oil production to the Commonwealth, then maybe the puzzle can be solved this way.  Have somebody in that locale read the code off the tanker trucks which are hauling the liquid product away.  I didn't check yet myself, but probably that code distinguishes condensate from crude.

Permalink Reply by Debra Lynn Pennell on December 12, 2013 at 7:10am
I have mineral rights to land in Greene county Pa. It is southwest Pa. near Waynesburg, Pa. There is a well on the Hampson property that has been producing oil since 1921 and is still producing. For some unknown reason they have been able to find out who has been receiving the royalties since then. It should not be that difficult to do. The only surviving relatives, are myself, my sisters and eight cousins. None of us have been receiving royalties from this. Do you think that perhaps we are owed some back royalties? We have signed two leases for two parcels with Rice energy. The third parcel cannot be leased until it is discovered who has been getting royalties from this well. Just think that someone is not being completely honest about this. Thanks. Debra Pennell
Permalink Reply by pg guy on December 12, 2013 at 7:38am

Have you talked to the operator of the older, conventional well that is producing the oil?  You could find out from the state who that is, if you do not know, or you could try to talk to the pumper who should show up on a regular basis, if you live near the property.

Some old-time operators used to depend on the crude oil purchaser (usually a refiner) to maintain records and distribute royalties.  If that is the case for this well, get the numbers that are stenciled on the tank(s) and call Ergon, who has been the primary purchaser in that area for the last 10-15 years (1-800-278-3364) and explain your situation.  If they are not the purchaser, they should be able to help you figure out who is.

If Ergon is the purchaser, they can tell you who they pay, whether 100% to operator who would in turn pay royalties, or to some other party, or to escrow.

Ergon may require some proof of your legal interest in the well before releasing any information to you.  Good Luck.

 

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