This is the fourth well to be completed at the central Utah gas field and will enter into production immediately, the juniors said.

“With the successful testing of a fourth well, it is becoming evident that the Helper Project has significant reserve and value potential and should be the source of a substantial drilling program over several years,” Marion chief executive Jeff Clarke said.

The joint venture is also currently flow testing the Cordingly Canyon 15-2 well, with results expected shortly.

Since Marion and Odyssey announced their accelerated drilling program at Helper, three new wells have been drilled – Cordingly Canyon 11-1, Cordingly Canyon 15-5 and Cordingly Canyon 10-1.

These wells exhibited gas shows comparable to the wells already completed in the field. Completion operations have already begun on Cordingly Canyon 11-1 and testing operations have started on Cordingly Canyon 15-2.

The vertical Cordingly Canyon 15-5 and the directional Cordingly Canyon 10-

1 – both drilled off the same pad as Cordingly Canyon 15-2 – will be completed in the Mancos Shale horizon, a secondary objective in the previously drilled Ferron test wells.

Marion said the Mancos Shale horizon exhibited excellent gas shows in all the wells drilled to date. The Mancos Shale play is likely to significantly add to the natural gas resource in the Helper Project, the company said.

The new 15-well drilling program is to be completed in two stages, with the first phase consisting of eight wells, the first three of which have already been drilled.

Marion will make further announcements as the testing and production operations continue.

Participating working interests in the Helper project are Marion, which holds a 48.75% stake, Odyssey (30%), Pegasi Energy (10.625%) and private interests (10.625%).