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ping for comments on ease of restart of an idled well

I the current envoirment I hang on to some of my working interests be used they are in potential horzonal drilling areas and my leasehold is worth something for a farmout. But with the current low price it is getting harder to do.

Stripper wells are a different ball game compared to new horizontal production. Instead of 3000 BOPD and large pressure differentials, you are dealing with fewer than 10 BOPD. Usually, the reservoir pressures are low enough that the differential is long gone, any bubble point has been reached, any solids settled. Sometimes, that's the reason the well is a stripper well. It should not have a huge effect on the formation. Almost always, stripper wells are on pump, and the electric/gas bill to run the pump can be a deciding factor.

As long as the production equipment is idled in such a way that corrosion will not present a problem, and for a short period of time, re-start will not likely present a huge (expensive) problem.

The mechanical aspects depend on depth, corrosion in that wellbore environment, and other factors. Operators with an eye for the future may even use the opportunity to rebuild or replace production equipment nearing the end of its service cycle.

Consider the new well decline curve when it comes to forecasting prices, that is for those (horizontal oil) wells which have been on line less than one year, 40 to 50% decline in BOPD output. Unless that is replaced by new drilling, overall production will decline, and the price likely adjust to reflect that. For the short term, they may be able to idle those stripper wells without much effect on the formation or subsequent production when the price is more favorable, provided no equipment fails in the meantime.