Performance of the Pickton Field

Abstract

Abstract The Pickton field, located in Hopkins County, Tex., produces from the Bacon lime reservoir of the Lower Glen Rose formation. The discovery well initially produced 50.2 API gravity oil with a gas-oil ratio of 1,350 cu ft/bbl, and subsurface samples of the reservoir fluid obtained soon after completion showed that the Pickton crude is unique in that it has an extremely high dissolved gas-oil ratio and is subject to very severe shrinkage. Reservoir studies indicated a recovery of only 19.4 per cent of the oil originally in place during primary depletion by dissolved-gas drive. It was also estimated that pressure maintenance recovery by gas displacement would total 36 per cent of the oil originally in place. Pressure maintenance by injection of dry Pickton field gas and extraneous gas from the Yantis field has increased the reservoir pressure to 90 per cent of the original pressure, and a satisfactory gas-sweep pattern has been maintained. Current recovery is 35 per cent of the oil in place. In this high-pressure gas injection pressure maintenance project, it is believed that vaporization of reservoir oil by dry gas injection has contributed substantially to the total ultimate recovery. Introduction The Pickton field history has been sufficiently short so that the predictions obtained by extensive engineering studies have been evaluated. Analysis of the results indicates, that by maximum use of advanced engineering technology and present day conservation measures, the Pickton field operations have been converted from an unprofitable to a profitable enterprise. In Nov., 1944, with the completion of Humble's C. D. Nichols 1, initial production was obtained from the Pickton field in the East Texas basin, which is situated in the northeast corner of the state as shown at the top of this page. A large scale man of the central area of this basin. Fig. 1, locates the Pickton field in Hopkins and Franklin counties, 28 miles southwest of the Talco field and 28 miles northwest of the Hawkins field. The field is 16 miles southeast of Sulphur Springs, Tex.