Bertha Rogers Borehole

Oil-exploratory borehole in Washita County, Oklahoma, United States
35°18′56″N 99°11′33″W / 35.31547°N 99.19251°W / 35.31547; -99.19251[1]ProductionProductsNatural GasTypeGas WellGreatest depth31,441 feet (9,583 m)HistoryOpened1974Closed1997OwnerCompanyLone Star Producing Company

The Lone Star Producing Company 1–27 Bertha Rogers hole or well was an oil-exploratory hole drilled in Washita County, Oklahoma in 1974, and was the world's deepest hole[2] until it was surpassed in 1979 by the Kola Superdeep Borehole, dug by the USSR.

The drilling was started October 25, 1972 and it took Lone Star a little over a year and a half to reach 31,441 feet (5.9547 mi; 9,583 m) on April 13, 1974. During drilling, the well encountered enormous pressure – almost 25,000 psi (172,369 kPa). No commercial hydrocarbons were found before drilling hit a molten sulfur deposit, which solidified around the drill string, causing the drill pipe to twist-off and a loss of the bottom-hole assembly. The well was plugged back and completed in the Granite Wash from 11,000 to 13,200 feet (3,400 to 4,000 m) as a natural gas producer.[3]

According to publicly available well records from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, the Bertha Rogers hole ceased production of natural gas in July 1997 and has since been plugged and abandoned.[4]

References

  1. ^ Dyman, T.S.; Nielson, D.T.; Obuch, R.C.; Baird, J.K.; Wise, R.A. (1990). "Summary of Deep Oil and Gas Wells and Reservoirs in the U.S." (PDF). United States Geological Survey. p. 12. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  2. ^ "Anadarko Basin in Depth". 10 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Oklahoma Corporation Commission completion report (form 1002A) dated September 3, 1974" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  4. ^ "Bertha Rogers #1-24".
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