The Drilling of Atlantic No. 3 (Page 2)

1 | Page 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

[<<Previous]

On February 20, a so-sack cement plug was run. Several things happened: the plug disappeared, probably into the D-3 and the mud level dropped, allowing Viking gas to come up the annulus, exerting 55 psi at surface. As Dave Gray explains: "the cement plug, being fully displaced, was over-balanced, causing the hydrostatic pressure to exceed the bottom hole reservoir pressure and forcing the plug into the D-3".

Dave Gray was one of the key players, an engineer seasoned in the Middle East where he had worked on a 30-month contract. He was born in Vancouver and graduated from the University of Oklahoma in petroleum engineering. He signed up with Denton and Spencer early in 1947, working in Lloydminster. Dave's contribution to this story is in the form of copious notes, replete with details of how they tried to restore circulation with cement plugs, trying different mixtures. He later left Denton and Spencer to form the consulting firm: Murray, Mitchell and Gray in Edmonton. In recent years, he has been an independent operator.

By the fourth day, February 22, the well way "alive" after a second plug had been run. The annulus was blowing gas from the Viking. Then was the first, but not the last, time the Hosmer button would be deployed. 115 barrels of mud were pumped down the annulus in an attempt to stop the gas flow. No hole had been made since February 17, three cement plugs had been run, and the drill pipe was sticking, so it wasn't surprised; that the bit had become plugged and had started to "grow roots" ⁴

On the 23rd, the Hosmer was again dropped in. Mud was pumped down the annulus at 500 psi through the fill-up line but circulation was not regained. With the pressures present, the shallow beds were almost certainly now being charged with Viking gas. A string of "macaroni" (1¼ in. tubing) was run inside the 4½ in, drill pipe to drill out cement that had "flash-set" in the drill pipe. This succeeded in opening up the ports of the bit. The drill pipe came loose, but after pulling ten stands (900 ft,) off bottom, the well started to flow again, Once more, the Hosmer was installed and mud was pumped down the drill pipe. It was during one of these episodes that the old valve on the 7 in. flow line was found to be seized; it could not be closed except with a very large wrench to which was attached a "snipe".

From the 26th of February to the 2nd of March, a succession of cement plugs was run, none of which controlled the gas flow or restored circulation. However, on March 2, firm cement was encountered at 5,210 ft. during drilling, None was present at 5,258 ft., but it was again encountered at 5,266 ft. At this point, more cement was run, with similar results. The interval 5,258-5,266 ft. appears to have been a major thief zone. However, production casing could probably have been run at this time, and the well saved.

The hole, up to March 8, was continually losing mud into the D-3, yet the mud level, as Cody stated, was remaining constant at about 1,100 ft. from the surface, allowing the Viking to blow out, but still containing the D-3. This is a very important point to keep in mind in understanding the background of the decision to drill "dry".

Howard Blanchard:..."it was nothing but trouble. It was on top of us or ahead of us from start to finish...we had some of the most experienced men...but no use, it simply kept getting worse..."⁵

Carl Moore, one of G,P.'s most respected drillers: "They did things there we all knew wouldn't work but still we had to go along with it".⁶

The evening of March 6 marked a turning point in the affairs of Atlantic No. 3 when a "Summit Conference" took place. Unlike other historic events, there is no written record, only memories (some of them faulty) of where it took place, who was there and what they said.

Lloyd Stafford, G.P.'S tool push on No. 3, was there. He was at the first oil well in Western Canada as a small boy, His grandfather was a driller at "Oil City", Cameron Creek at the turn of the century, in what is now Wateton National Park, Lloyd started in Turner Valley, working with cable tools on the Spooner lease. He went on to rotary drilling and was employed by several outfits before going with G.P. Stafford is regarded as the unsung hero of the drawworks.

Clarence Matthews, Denton & Spencer engineer, was either in Edmonton in his hotel room or out at the meeting, according to Bill Warnick. Cody Spencer may or may not have been there. Howard Blanchard said he knew about the get-together but thought it was too high-powered for him and went back to his bunk. He recalls Clarence being in favour of drilling "dry". According to one source, Lyle Caspell was ordered up to Leduc by Pacific's treasurer, T.O. (Ted) Megas on March 9, "the day after". Caspell's report states: "Drill ahead was instruction received from an author(it)ative executive sitting behind a big walnut desk."⁷ Dave Gray said that he (Dave) was away on days off, but somebody else thought that he was there.

Don Whitney, production foreman at the Atlantic tank farm, met Stafford on the road after the decision to drill "dry" was made. He quotes Lloyd as saying, "it's the best (decision) we could do (make) and we hope we can get through (to casing point),"⁸

[Next>>]