Project STARR—State of Texas Advanced Oil and Gas Resource Recovery Program

By

Ramón Treviño, Robert Loucks, Randy Remington, and L. Frank Brown, Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin

Project STARR at the Bureau of Economic Geology has one major goal—increased royalty income to the Permanent School Fund of Texas from State Lands leases. This goal is accomplished by conducting integrated studies, which encourage new wells, recompletions, secondary or tertiary recovery projects, or other economically justified techniques for increasing production. State Lands fields now contain more oil and gas than has been recovered over their production history. This remaining oil and gas is recoverable through the targeted deployment of advanced recovery technologies. Sixteen operators have been, or are, involved in Project STARR. During its 7-year history, Project STARR analyses have been used to recommend 69 infill wells, 56 recompletions, and 4 step-out wells. Of the targeted opportunities, at least 45 infill wells and 32 recompletions have been drilled on State Lands and in State waters.

All operators of State Lands leases are eligible to apply to STARR for assistance. Selection of projects is based on potential economic value of the project to the State and on the operator’s commitment to implementing economic opportunities. Operators are required to share data, requested to participate in the study, and invited to report results of implemented recommendations.

STARR has completed more than 10 major studies since its inception. The most recent West Texas study involved Ozona field in Crockett County. More recently STARR studied several fields located in State waters. Among these is a study, in conjunction with IBC Petroleum, of Red Fish Bay field in “middle” Frio reservoirs.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90010©2003 AAPG Southwest Section Meeting, Fort Worth, Texas, March 1-4, 2003