Here we go again . . .

The price of crude oil is hovering around a hundred dollars a barrel. When that happens mineral activity in Pointe Coupee heats up again. Back in the 1980 it was the Tuscaloosa Trend.

The "Trend" was a layer of sand bearing condensate and natural gas. Tremendous amounts of gas and the Parlange Plantation out on False River was right on top of the bonanza. It still is, still producing along with several other wells in what is known as the Judge Digby Field. At one time it was the top producing field on land in Louisiana, it is down around 15 or so today.

That spawned a lot of exploration activity and new fields named Moore-Sams and Morganza appeared. Both fields are still producing, though some wells have gone dry. The one the family was involved in went dry years ago.

Today there is a well about a mile south of the family holdings down into the Tuscaloosa Trend and is producing about 250 barrels of oil and umpty ump cubic feet of natural gas. It was a productive well, stop producing and was reworked three or four times, the last one successful. It has been producing for the last four years. It is known as the LaBarre well and is in the Morganza Field. There are a number of wells still producing in the Morganza Field.

The new activity involves the Austin Chalk. The Tuscaloosa Trend is down around 18,000 feet. Considering the average elevation of Pointe Coupee is around 30 feet above sea level, that is an impressive depth. Austin Chalk is above the "Trend" at about 16,500 feet. Between the Austun Chalk and the Trend is the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (as in the Hayville and Barnett Shales).

Our place is being leased for Austin Chalk at 20% royalty and Tuscaloosa Trend at 25%royalty. I am surmising that they may do either or both.

Some of the maps show the place is on top of the Edwards Shelf Edge which seems to be the most ideal spot. Other maps show it to be across the Mississippi River in West Feliciana Parish. No matter, the place has been leased - again.

The new field is name the LaCour Field and the test well is located in upper Pointe Coupee near the confluence of the Old River and North West Moganza Spillway Guide levees. It is set back a couple of thousand feet from each levee. It is to be 16,300 feet deep with a total depth of 22,000 feet. That means it will have a horizontal of about a mile. I believe the horizontal will be generally east/west in orientation. This will be LaCour #43. It sits in the edge of the older Morganza Field, wonder why a new name? I guess it has to do with the geological strator they are after.

So with the lease our hopes rise again. Just getting the lease money is good enough for us. It is like finding money in the road my grandfather used to say. He meant if was like free, no work, just collect it up.

BTW, the LaCour #43 us about 7.75 miles from the front of the plantation. But I have read they have leased as far off as close to the new John J. Audubon Bridge, or about 16 miles from LaCour #43.