Study of the Niobrara Formation in the Borie Field

The Niobrara formation has been a promising area of interest for exploration and drilling in the last few years. As technology has reached a point where producing from shales is both possible and profitable, this study looked at the Borie Field as an example for the Niobrara within Wyoming. By looking at log data for a series of wells, maps for formation thickness, porosity and water saturation are created and a range for oil in place for the Borie Field is given. Also, the available production data is used to estimate possible recovery. Recommendations on drilling methods based on other productive shales are made keeping in mind the environment, ethics and safety. Finally, an economic analysis is performed. This includes estimates for amount of produced oil, drilling costs based on recommended methods and possible future oil prices. Exploration and drilling in the Niobrara formation can be profitable so long as the proper methods are used and the correct areas targeted.