Whitewater Field, Colorado
Fram is the operator of the Whitewater Federal Production Unit located in the Piceance Basin in Mesa and Delta Counties of Colorado, USA. The Whitewater lease totals 90,445-acres and is the largest in the State of Colorado. Within that unit, Fram is the 95.6% working interest leaseholder of 54,000 acres.
Six oil and gas bearing
formations have been identified in the Whitewater Unit. More than 70 wells, primarily focusing
on the Dakota and Morrison Formations, have been drilled in Whitewater since
previous operators began exploring the area in the 1970’s.
Prior to June 2010, when Fram discovered oil in its Mansur 33-1-K well, the emphasis had been on developing natural gas from the Dakota . An 8-inch pipeline and gathering system, including compressor stations, was constructed by the previous operator to connect to the Trans-Colorado natural gas pipeline system and was opened in 2006. As gas prices continue to improve, the Company still considers gas developments viable revenue opportunities.
Short term developmental
emphasis has shifted to delineation and production of crude oil in the
Whitewater lease. In addition to
Dakota, Fram has identified oil prospects in the Entrada and Mancos shale
formations. Delineation wells are currently being drilled to collect additional
reservoir data and develop aggressive development plans. Fram plans to use high-angle,
long-reach drilling techniques to maximize oil production from the pay zones.