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CASE HISTORIES

TAKEN FROM OUR CONSULTING WORK IN THREE STATES

The following Case Histories pertain to consulting projects that involved Vision Exploration as the lead technical consultant.  If your company is short-staffed or intent on entering our core geographic areas, these brief accounts provide insight into some of our consulting capabilities.  More detailed versions of each Case History can be provided upon request.  We have GOM / OCS experience as well; please contact us if you need assistance with an offshore project.


SOUTH LOUISIANA

A client that had drilled three disappointing shallow Miocene tests on the flanks of an established, 100 MMBOE field (atop a salt diapir) decided to reprocess the 3D survey used to that point and remap the survey area.  The client was short-staffed, however, and elected to bring Vision Exploration into the project as the lead technical consultant responsible for mapping the reprocessed 3D data, understanding what had led to the commercial failure of the first three wells, and identifying new and better targets to drill.

In less than two months Vision mapped over twenty horizons and not only provided technical guidance regarding the previous pitfalls of the shallow Miocene play, but also sorted through and culled other earlier leads that turned out (post-reprocessing) to be too risky to drill.  Vision also identified eleven new deeper Oligocene leads on the flanks of the diapir.  The first Oligocene target, Vision's Falcon Prospect, was drilled in late 2006 and resulted in a Cib Hazz discovery that tested over 1,030 BOPD + 3.3 MMCFGPD (10/64" choke) with over 8,000 psi flowing tubing pressure.  This well flowed over 900 BOPD + 2.5 MMCFGPD on a 9/64" choke, with virtually no decline in pressure, for 4.5 years and is still producing (as of September, 2014).  It has been one of the most outstanding recent oil completions in the Gulf Coast.  Of the three Oligocene wells drilled by the client pursuant to Vision's recommendations, one well was a dry hole and the other well resulted in a 300+ BOPD Het MT Sand discovery.  Combined, the two oil wells have cumulatively produced over 3.0 MMBOE  and $200,000,000 cash flow.

On this project, in addition to the geophysical interpretations described above, Vision was responsible for the provision of detailed drilling prognoses, directional wellpath designs, and numerous supporting exhibits such as geologic cross-sections and production montages.  Vision also represented the client at meetings with the Louisiana DNR regarding permit issues and designed, packaged and marketed individual prospects from the project to third parties at NAPE and LOGA.  As the project progressed, Vision worked with the seismic processor to develop Hampson-Russell - derived fluid replacement models for the Cib Hazz, and research AVO response.

Vision was also directly responsible for bringing several key investors into the project, as well as assisting other third parties in their technical review of the project.  Because of its key contributions to the project, the working interest owners later decided to award Vision Exploration with an overriding royalty interest, even though the original consulting agreement did not entitle Vision to an override (and Vision had not asked for one).   


SOUTHWEST ALABAMA

The "new" owners of two important shallow oil fields lacked the technical staff needed to generate an up-to-date series of maps that covered the properties and provided an understanding of the remaining recoverable reserves.  The clients asked Vision to produce a field study of the field areas, which spanned over 22 miles in length and encompassed over 350 wells.

Vision examined the commercially-available base maps covering the field areas and determined they were not accurate enough to meet Vision's standards.  A new base map was built from scratch using USC&GS topo maps and all of the location/survey plats the clients and the states of Mississippi and Alabama could provide.  A NAD 27 cartesian grid was then integrated into the new base map, and the existing wells surveyed with GPS to verify surface locations and tie the grid to the subsurface.  The well files for each well in the survey area were examined, resulting in the mapping of each of the eight Upper Cretaceous reservoirs established in the 22 mile-long producing trend.  Fault cuts were picked in each well and fault planes and angles were calculated and plotted, resulting in accurate fault migration throughout the producing section.  Important data regarding oil shows, formation tests, and commingled production was integrated into the database.

The finished field study, delivered on time to the clients, included detailed structure, net sand and net pay isolith maps on seven of the eight producing horizons (the exception being a fractured carbonate); several log comparisons; planimetered net pay area and volumetric OOIP plots; a fieldwide color-coded production "bubble" plot; a detailed geological summary integrated into a brochure that included type logs and field analog examples, as well as photographs of each producing well; and recommendations for further development.  Detailed well prognoses and logging suite recommendations were also provided.

Following Vision's delivery of the field study, the clients have used it to cause several new wells to be drilled and many older wells to be successfully worked over, resulting in a significant (>200%) increase in oil production in both fields.  The clients have also found the field study to be a powerful tool in their marketing of working interest ownership on a promoted basis to third parties, and are currently utilizing the field study to facilitate the sale of the entire property.  Vision continues to provide technical support to the clients on an as-needed basis.


EAST LOUISIANA

A client approached Vision Exploration after its partner, a large independent, drilled seven straight dry holes on a recently-acquired 3D survey and withdrew from the area.  Vision Exploration examined the 3D survey (which had actually been shot by the withdrawing party) and identified a critical flaw in that party's 3D seismic interpretation of the key reservoir horizon ("jumping a leg", a mistake brought about by inexperience in  the subject area).  Vision remapped the area - correctly - and identified eight new targets.  The first well drilled on Vision's remapped interpretations tested over 1.2 MMCFGPD and 80 BCPD from perforations across the best porosity (>30%) encountered anywhere in the target reservoir in East Louisiana (at an approximate depth of 8,000' subsea).

SIx subsequent wells each encountered thick oil and gas-productive reservoirs and are in various stages of completion.  During this project, Vision has provided complete technical support, including vertical and directional well design and detailed drilling prognoses; wellsite supervision, including logging and coring; prospect packaging and marketing to third parties; synthetic seismic generation and integration; and reservoir reserve calculations.


NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI

A client asked Vision Exploration to undertake a detailed field study of a largely depleted, shallow gas field in the Black Warrior Basin that had produced 15 BCF.  The client had obtained access to some well files that contained valuable mudlog and core data from the 1970's, and was interested in learning if any additional production could be found within the old field through the use of the rare well data.

Vision embarked upon a detailed field study and quickly identified several promising drilling and re-entry targets.  The first recommended operation was the re-entry of a recently-abandoned well with the objective of perforating a prospective Carter "A" Sand that had been overlooked by the previous operator, a large independent.  The well had been plugged and abandoned without the cutting and removal of the production casing, thus representing an optimal re-entry candidate.

Vision's client brought in an operator that re-entered the well and within three days had perforated Vision's recommended Carter "A" Sand target.  The well was completed for an unstimulated rate of 500-600 MCFGPD, paid out in less than 60 days, and continues to produce 300-400 MCFGPD two years later.  Vision later identified two new locations within the field which have been drilled, resulting in a second 500-600 MCFGPD Carter "A" Sand producer (in a separate reservoir) and a rare Carter "A" Sand oil producer.  Numerous other shallower Pennsylvanian sandstone reservoirs - apparently undrained - remain attractive targets and the focus of continued redevelopment within the old field.


SOUTH MISSISSIPPI

After both members of its technical staff passed away unexpectedly, a client was compelled to file a federal lawsuit when a significant (out-of-state) "drill to earn" joint venture partner attempted to seize control of a jointly-owned producing property by claiming the client's (now deceased) technical staff had initially misrepresented the technical risk and potential future economic worth of the property.  Without technical assistance to defend its position, the client feared the well-funded, adversarial former partner - which had enlisted the support of several expert technical witnesses in its defense - would be successful in retaining its unfair control of the property.  The costly trial had dragged on for over seven years in federal court and time was running out  for the client to rebut the technical arguments of the defendant and its expert witnesses, and regain the momentum in the case.

After examining the facts surrounding the matter, Steve Walkinshaw decided to assist the client and serve as expert federal witness on a pro bono basis, producing 27 pages of written testimony supported by numerous well data exhibits that comprehensively rebutted the technical arguments of the defendant and its expert witnesses, and demonstrated that no misrepresentation, technical or economical in nature, had been committed by the client's staff (including the deceased).  After failing to convince the court to exclude Steve Walkinshaw's testimony and exhibits on weak technicalities, the defendant quickly settled, surrendering and re-assigning all of its ownership of the contested property back to the client.


In his 34-year professional career, Steve Walkinshaw has frequently been called upon to provide technical support, testimony, and exhibits for his former employers and, more recently, Vision Exploration and its clients regarding contested matters before state regulatory agencies and the federal judiciary.  Yet Steve Walkinshaw has not had to testify in person since 1994, and every contested matter since that time involving his prepared testimony and exhibits has been settled in his or his client's favor.  Why?  First - as the saying goes, pick your battles wisely; Vision Exploration will not support or participate in contested matters that Vision determines to be technically unsound or ethically questionable.  Second - when we do step in and provide assistance, it is with the goal of overwhelming the opponent with superior exhibits and technical arguments, and unquestioned integrity.


SInce Vision's inception in 2000, all internal investors and clients have been afforded full audit privileges.  Yet not one investor - whether internal, or third party - has ever requested an audit.  In this litigious world, Vision has never been sued, or even been the subject of a complaint filed by an individual or company.  We avoid such audits, claims and litigation by being fair, transparent, and ethical in all of our business practices.  Our goal has always been to provide our investors and clients with financial documentation, project by project, that exceeds their requirements.