Cuba

MEO Australia Ltd. announced that three identified oil plays in Block 9 in Cuba have been assessed to contain 8.1 Bbbl of high-quality light oil in place with a recoverable estimate of about 395 MMbbl. The oil play is on trend with the multibillion-barrel Varadero oil field. The estimate is only for the first of three plays; two other shallower oil plays also have significant oil potential. According to MEO, there are 15 individual leads in the first play. An accelerated drilling program to explore further potential of the Lower Sheet Play is underway, and assessment of the other two oil play types is ongoing. The 2,380-sqkm (919-sq-mile) production-sharing contract is held by MEO and is about 140 km (87 miles) east of Havana.

Colombia

GeoPark has announced drilling and testing results from appraisal well #3-Jacana in Jacana Field in Colombia’s Llanos 34 Block. It was drilled to 3,355 m (11,008 ft), and logging analysis indicated hydrocarbons throughout Guadalupe without identifying an oil-water contact. A seven- day production test in Guadalupe with an electric submersible pump flowed 1.65 Mbbl of 15-degree-gravity oil with about 1% water cut. It was tested on a 43⁄64-in. choke, and the wellhead pressure was 50 psi. Further production history is required to determine stabilized flow rates of the well. Surface facilities are in place, and the well already is in production. GeoPark is currently drilling #4-Jacana and will perform additional drilling to delineate the full extent of the field. Six additional wells are planned, including up to two exploration wells in the block. GeoPark is the operator and has a 45% working interest in the Llanos 34 Block.

Brazil

A 410-m (1,345-ft) net pay zone discovery was announced by Petrobras at its presalt Santos Basin Libra prospect. According to the company, it is the largest net pay ever discovered in Libra. The #3-BRSA-1339A-RJS (3-RJS-742A) well was drilled to 3,049 m (10,003 ft) in 2,003 m (6,571.5 ft) of water in the northeast section of the block. The produced oil is 27°API gravity. Petrobras is the operator for the Libra Consortium with 40% interest in partnership with Shell (20%); Total (20%); China National Petroleum Corp. (10%) and China National Offshore Oil Corp. (10%).

Ireland

In a collaborative exploration program with Schlumberger, Providence Resources Plc has reported that the Newgrange Prospect in Ireland’s offshore Goban Spur Basin could hold unrisked prospective resources of 385 Bcm (13.6 Tcf) of gas. According to the company, the Lower Cretaceous Newgrange carbonate prospect is principally located in frontier exploration license (FEL) 6/14, where area water depth is about 1,000 m (3,281 ft). The revised volumetric estimation was based on 2014 2-D long-offset seismic reflection profile data. Previous estimates also indicated a possible 9.2 Bbbl of oil potential. Both oil and gas cases were modeled because of the uncertainty in the hydrocarbon phase. The partners also have concluded that the prospect has significant risk given the thin amount of overburden (500 m [1,640 ft]). Analysis, however, indicated that the present top seal could potentially have a 350-m (1,148-ft) hydrocarbon column. Providence is the operator of FEL6/14 and the Newgrange Prospect with 80% interest. Sosina Exploration Ltd. holds the remaining 20%.

Morocco

A second exploration well has been completed by Sound Energy Plc in Morocco’s Tendrara Block. The #6-TE was drilled to 2,665 m (8,743 ft) and encountered about 28 m (92 ft) of net gas pay in the TAGI reservoir. It produced 38,511 cu. m (1.36 MMcf/d) of gas during testing on a 16⁄64-in. choke. According to the company, it has only accessed 18% of the total reservoir, with no fracture stimulation. Sound is the operator of the Tendrara Block with 55% interest in partnership with the Moroccan Oil & Gas Investment Fund, which has the remaining interest.

UK

An oil discovery was reported by EnQuest at exploration well #1 Eagle in the Greater Kittiwake area of the U.K. sector of the North Sea. Assessment is underway at the Eagle prospect, but preliminary analysis indicates the Fulmar oil-bearing reservoir has a vertical thickness of 20 m (67 ft) with excellent reservoir properties. No oil-water contact was encountered, and initial analysis results indicate the gross total recoverable reserves to be a similar size to those in the nearby Gadwall oil field. The Greater Kittiwake Area is in North Sea blocks 21/12a (License P.073), 21/12d (P.1786), 21/17a (P.1415), 21/17c (P.1415), 21/18a (P.351) and 21/19 (P.238). It is operated by EnQuest with 50% interest, and Dana Petroleum holds the remaining 50%.

Norway

Faroe Petroleum has completed and tested its wildcat #31/7-1 and appraisal well #31/7-1 A. The wells were drilled 13 km (8 miles) south of Brage Field in the North Sea. The #31/7-1 encountered an 18-m (59-ft) gas column and a 21-m (69-ft) oil column in sandstone in the Middle Jurassic Fensfjord. The #31/7-1 A, a sidetrack that delineated the discovery, encountered a 6-m (20-ft) gas column and 25-m (82-ft) oil column at levels equivalent to those of the discovery well. Total gross volumes of recoverable hydrocarbons are estimated to be 28 MMbbl to 54 MMbbl of oil and 2.5 Bcm to 4.4 Bcm (89 Bcf to 158 Bcf) of gas. Faroe is the operator and owns 50% with partner Point Resources AS.

Egypt

Kuwait Energy Co. has announced results from an exploratory test in Egypt’s Abu Sennan Concession in the Western Desert. The exploration well #1X-Al Jahraa SE intersected about 16.4 m (53.8 ft) of net pay within the targeted Abu Roash C Member, Abu Roash E Member and Upper Bahariya. The 3,361-m (11,027-ft) well is southeast of the discovery well at #1-Al Jahraa. Kuwait Energy is the operator of the Abu Sennan Concession and the Al Jahraa Field and wells with 50% interest. Partners include Dover Investments (28%) and Beach Energy (22%).

Indonesia

In Indonesia’s Northwest Natuna license area, Santos Ltd. has completed and tested appraisal well #4XST1-AAL in the targeted G Sand and K Sand. The G Sand drillstem test in a 3.5-m (11.4-ft) perforated interval had an average stabilized fl ow rate of 828 bbl of 10.7-degree-gravity oil during a 9-hr period. A K Sand drillstem test over a 6.5-m (21.3-ft) perforated interval fl owed 1.12 Mbbl/d of oil. Santos is the operator with 50% interest. Australia Worldwide Exploration holds the remaining 50%.

Australia

Quadrant Energy has announced an update on offshore drilling operations at #1-Outtrim East in permit area WA-155-P(1) in the North West Shelf of Australia. Coring is complete, and the well is at the planned depth of 91 m (298.5 ft) with 100% core recovery. It was cored to determine the extent and quality of the net reservoir and estimate the in-place and recoverable volumes in the Outtrim and Outtrim East structures. Additional logging will not be conducted. However, early interpretation of fl uorescence data indicates the well has hydrocarbons in the target interval.

Read more online at https://www.epmag.com/activity-highlights-file.

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