Abstract

Hydrocarbon degrading bacteria can be used to detect migrating hydrocarbon gases from oil and gas deposits. As short chain hydrocarbon gases migrate to the surface, bacterial cells metabolize these gases in the near surface aerobic zone. In the laboratory, EBT measures the response porn these hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria and develops their recommendations based on a proprietary data analysis process. This process has been used to survey over 4.3 million acres in North America, South America, and Europe with over 3.7 million of these acres in Canada primarily in south eastern Saskatchewan. It has been shown that microbial surveys show a positive correlation between microbial highs and hydrocarbon deposits. This is especially apparent in the Elcott fll-2 Rl-3 W2), Bowdoin (Tl-2 R12-14 W3), and Flinton (TII R6-7 W2) areas where post survey drilling has conftrmed the microbial response. Exploratory wells drilled on microbial highs had a 63% success rate in the Elcott survey. The Flinton survey area had an 76% success rate. Overall, exploratory wells drilled on microbial highs have been completed 25 of 32 times, for a 78% success rate.

Introduction

Microbial Exploration Technology (MET) is based on two physical and biological principles. First, this technology assumes that oil and gas reservoirs will have a certain amount of hydrocarbon gas that migrates vertically to the surface. Secondly, these gaseous hydrocarbons serve as a nutrient source to soil microorganisms in the near surface aerobic zone. In the laboratory, these microbes are extracted from the soil, the response to short chain hydrocarbons is measured, and a series of contour and numerical maps is created based on the statistical analysis of the raw data. Statistical analysis of the soils includes an average MET value, relative average, percentile rank, and a Percent Probability of Success (%PS) rating. The %PS rating is a proprietary analysis that is based on the correlation of MET surveys with over 640 wells in the surveyed acreage.

GUIDE TO MAP INTERPRETATION

The survey results presented in this report are presented as %PS data. The %PS values fall into four categories. The red areas denote areas that have a 70% or greater chance of finding oil or gas, green a 55%-69% chance, yellow a 45% to 54% chance, and the white areas a 0–44% chance. Three classifications are used in ranking wells. The first classification is a Recommended drill site. Historically, wells recommended by EBT have been completed 77% of the time. The intent is to recommend well sites that have a high probability of success. These sites generally have a rating above 45% PS. EBT recognizes that non recommended sites will also be successfully completed. It is EBT's experience that MET non-recommended, exploratory well sites are completed 10% of the time. Wells ranked in the 40%-45% PS range are called Potential drill sites, which, if confirmed by other exploration data, would be recommended locations. Wells ranked below 40% PS are considered Low potential sites, where completion is expected less than 10% of the time.

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