American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc.
Discussion of this paper is invited. Three copies of any discussion should be sent to the Society of Petroleum Engineers office. Such discussions may be presented at the above meeting and, with the paper, may be considered for publication in one of the two SPE magazines.
The Jay Field discovery in June of 1970 paved the way to extensive drilling and paved the way to extensive drilling and production facility activities in the Florida production facility activities in the Florida Panhandle and in south Alabama. Within 3 years, Panhandle and in south Alabama. Within 3 years, 94 wells had been drilled and 10 treating plants had been constructed. The Jay Field is approximately 8 miles long and about 4 miles wide. Recoverable reserves are estimated to be 337 million bbl of oil. This Smackover production contains about 9 mol percent of hydrogen production contains about 9 mol percent of hydrogen sulfide, which presented many technical challenges in view of safety and environmental considerations. The willingness of industry to commit to risk investments allowed a rapid production buildup to 84,000 B/D and the production buildup to 84,000 B/D and the initiation of a 200,000 B/D waterflood at the same time unitization was approved in March 1974.
The paper will highlight the field development history and will include basic reservoir description and drilling information. Emphasis will be placed on facility design and operating considerations for treating sour crude and gas, and sulfur recovery. A brief description of the field waterflood facilities and plans for gas processing will also be included. plans for gas processing will also be included
Recent discoveries in the deep, sour Jurassic Trend in northwest Florida and south Alabama have paved the way to extensive drilling and production facility activities. These field development opportunities have presented many technical challenges in view of the safety and environmental considerations. The most significant discovery in this area is the Jay-Little Escambia Creek Field.
Fig. 1 is a map showing the major Jurassic Trend discoveries in the Jay area, which is some 60 miles east of Mobile, Ala., and 35 miles north of Pensacola, Fla. The first discovery of deeper production was the Flomaton Field, immediately production was the Flomaton Field, immediately north of the town of Flomaton, Ala. This field was discovered in 1968, and produces sour gas from the Norphlet sandstone. Exxon discovered the Jay Field in June 1970. The Blackjack Creek Field, southeast of Jay, was discovered by Exxon in Jan. 1972, and 15 wells have now been completed. Production facilities are scheduled for completion in October. The Big Escambia Creek Field, west of the Flomaton Field, was discovered by Mallard Exploration Co. early in 1972. Twenty wells have been completed and production facilities went on stream in July. production facilities went on stream in July.
