Questerre Energy reported that the operator will spud the first horizontal well targeting the middle Utica in the St. Lawrence Lowlands.

The St. Edouard #1A horizontal well will be situated adjacent to the St. Edouard #1 vertical well that tested at 700 mcf/d from the middle Utica interval. Subject to final results, the well will be fracture stimulated and production tested. During stimulation, the existing vertical well will serve as a monitor for real-time micro-seismic imaging to validate stimulation effectiveness.

Michael Binnion, President and Chief Executive Officer of Questerre, commented, "The first well in the pilot horizontal well program is a key milestone towards commercializing the Utica shale play. We are looking forward to confirmation from the horizontal wells of the consistently excellent vertical well test results from the middle Utica."