EUROPE

Ireland's Kish Bank to be explored

Irish explorer Providence Resources has been awarded a Foreshore License over an area in the Kish Bank basin offshore Dublin. The license was awarded by the Foreshore Unit of the Irish Department of Environment, Community, and Local Government and permits a 2-D seismic program and a wellsite survey as well as the drilling of an exploration well on the Dalkey Island prospect, located in Exploration License 2/11. Providence holds a 50% interest as operator in SEL 2/11 with its partner PSE Seven Heads Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysia's Petronas.

Barents Sea boost for Eni

Italy's Eni has hit gas and condensate with its first wildcat in production license 533 in the Barents Sea offshore Norway. Eni Norge AS, the operator of PL 533, completed the drilling of well 7220/10-1 with the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate estimating the size of the find at between 5 MMcm and 7 MMcm of recoverable oil equivalent. The wildcat well, dubbed Salina, is located 50 km (31 miles) northwest of the Sn?hvit field. In the primary target, a 38-m (125-ft) gas/condensate column was encountered in the Knurr formation. In the secondary target, a 54-m (177-ft) gas/condensate column was encountered in the St? formation. Further delineation of the discovery will be considered. The well was drilled to a vertical depth of 2,371 m (7,779 ft) and terminated in the Snadd formation in the Upper Triassic. The probe was drilled by the Scarabeo 8 rig in 348 m (1,142 ft) water depth, with the well to be permanently plugged and abandoned. Eni operates PL 533 with a 40% interest, with its partners Lundin, Det Norske, and RWE Dea holding 20% each.

AFRICA

Eni mulls floater for Ghana

Italy's Eni is considering a fast-track early production development using an FPSO for its first deepwater oil discovery offshore Ghana. The state-owned operator confirmed that its first crude discovery in the Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) block in the Tano basin has the potential for a commercial development because of the presence of oil as well as gas and condensates. The Sankofa East-1X well hit 28 m (92 ft) of gas and condensate. But crucially, it also hit 76 m (249 ft) of gross oil pay. Eni is immediately planning to spud further appraisal wells to delineate the size of the find. The Sankofa East-1X well was drilled to a total depth of 3,650 m (11,976 ft) in 825 m (2,707 ft) of water, with a production test flowing 5,000 b/d of high-quality oil. Eni also said that there are ongoing engineering studies for the development and commercialization of the block's non-associated gas reserves. Eni, through its subsidiary Eni Ghana E&P Ltd., is the operator of the OCTP block with a 47.22% share. Its partners are Vitol Upstream Ghana Ltd. (37.78%) and GNPC (15%).

Maersk hits Angolan oil

Denmark's Maersk Oil has hit more oil in a deepwater concession offshore Angola, with the company and its partners planning to carry out further appraisal and evaluation work. The company's subsidiary Maersk Oil Angola A/S, together with concessionaire Sonangol E.P. and partners Sonangol P&P and Odebrecht Oil and Gas Angola Ltd., said it had successfully completed drilling the Caporolo-1 wildcat in the Lower Congo Basin with positive results. Caporolo-1 is a step-out exploration well on a separate structure adjacent to, and not part of, the existing Chissonga discovery in Block 16. A production test was conducted, which flowed at a maximum rate of 3,000 b/d of oil on a 36/ 64 -inch choke size. The well was drilled in the western sector of Block 16, around 13 km (8 miles) from the company's Chissonga discovery. The probe was drilled in 1,235 m (4,052 ft) of water to a total depth of 5,508 m (18,072 ft) using the Pride South Pacific semisubmersible rig. Sonangol E.P. is the concessionaire of Block 16.

NORTH AMERICA

Shell's Alaskan adventure kicks off

Royal Dutch Shell is under way with a well in the Beau-fort Sea offshore northern Alaska targeting the Sivulliq prospect. As with a well it spudded in September in the Chukchi Sea off northwestern Alaska, Shell is currently permitted by federal authorities to drill only to shallow depths short of oil-bearing reservoirs. The permits issued by the US Bureau of Environmental Safety and Enforcement allow only top-hole drilling because Shell has not yet met the required oil-spill regulations, having failed to gain US Coast Guard clearance for a required

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oil-spill barge. Shell said the barge, the Arctic Challenger, will not be available for use this year in Alaska but that repairs should be completed in time for next year's open-water drilling season. The Sivulliq prospect being drilled by the Kulluk rig is 26 km (16 miles) offshore. The Burger prospect in the Chukchi, which Shell is drilling with the Noble Discoverer drillship, is 112 km (70 miles) offshore.

TGS survey in British Columbia

TGS, through its newly-acquired subsidiary Arcis Seismic Solutions, is to acquire 3-D seismic onshore in northeast British Columbia, Canada. The Cameron River 3-D survey is a multiclient project that will cover an area of 470 sq km (181.5 sq miles) along the prolific liquids-rich Triassic Montney and Doig unconventional fairways, said TGS. High-resolution seismic will enable exploration for stratigraphic and structural traps and will illuminate the Cretaceous through Devonian section. The seismic data will be processed by Arcis. Intermediate products will be available to the industry in 1Q 2013, with final data available in the second quarter.

GULF OF MEXICO

Pemex reveals second Perdido find

Pemex has confirmed another ultra-deepwater oil discovery in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) with estimated reserves put at about 200 MMbbl of oil. The find follows on the heels of its Trion-1 discovery in the Perdido Fold Belt area, revealed in August. This latest find on the Supremus prospect was made in a water depth of around 2,900 m (9,500 ft) and is part of the company's US $1.1 billion spending program this year on deepwater targets. The probe was drilled by the Bicentenario semisubmersible rig, which will next go to drill a wildcat on the Maximino prospect, for which Pemex also has high expectations. The estimated proven, probable, and possible (3P) reserves for the Supremus-1 well are put at between 75 MMbbl and 125 MMbbl of crude. Trion-1 was estimated to have 3P reserves of up to 400 MMbbl of crude.

BOEM unveils Central GoM sale

The next lease sale for the Central GoM will take place in March 2013, with a total of 38 million acres to be offered by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). Lease Sale 227 will take place in New Orleans March 20, 2013, and is the first of five such annual Central Gulf sales. The sale will encompass around 7,250 unleased blocks located in water depths ranging from 3 m to 3,400 m (9 ft to 11,115 ft). BOEM estimates the proposed sale could result in the production of 0.46 Bbbl to 0.89 Bbbl of oil and 1.9 Tcf to 3 Tcf of natural gas. Western Gulf Lease Sale 218, held in December 2011, received high bids on tracts covering about 1 million acres and netted nearly US $325 million. Central Gulf Lease Sale 216/222, held in June 2012, attracted more than $1.7 billion in high bids for more than 2.4 million acres. The next sale, Western GoM Lease Sale 229, announced earlier this year, will take place in New Orleans Nov. 28.

SOUTH AMERICA

Uruguay deepwater winners

ANCAP, the national oil company of Uruguay, has signed offshore production-sharing contracts (PSCs) with four companies that pave the way for deepwater exploration activity in frontier Atlantic Margin acreage over the next three years. The NOC signed the deals with BG, BP, Total, and Tullow Oil, initially awarded the blocks in April. The two British companies each won three oil blocks, while there was one each for Total and Tullow. The blocks are located in water depths ranging between 500 m and 2,500 m (1,640 ft and 8,202 ft) in the Pelotas and Punta del Este basins. Total planned investment is estimated at up to US $1.6 million over the first three years. The work plans for the first three-year period include one exploration well, 3-D seismic data, 3-D electromagnetic data, seabed samples, and 2-D seismic data. Each PSC covers a period of 30 years.

Petrobras fills in Franco SW details

Petrobras has completed drilling a fourth well in its Transfer of Rights area in the presalt Santos basin and verified a hydrocarbon column of 438 m (1,437 ft). The Brazilian major had previously announced the find in August when the well was still being drilled and had reached a depth of 5,656 m (18,557 ft). At that time it had confirmed up to 295 m (968 ft) of net pay. The 3-BRSA-1053-RJS (3-RJS-699) well, known as Franco SW, is located in 2,024 m (6,641 ft) water depth around 210 km (130 miles) offshore Rio de Janeiro. It is also17 km (10 miles) south of discovery well 2-ANP-1-RJS (Franco). The total depth of 5,973 m (19,597 ft) was reached in a stratigraphic horizon established in the exploratory program. Analyses of the oil recovered from carbonate reservoirs below the salt layer confirmed good quality oil (from 28? API to 30? API). This well is part of the Mandatory Exploratory Program in the Franco area where Petrobras acquired the right to produce up to 3 Bbbl of oil. The exploratory phase is under way and is expected to be completed by September 2014.

MIDDLE EAST

RWE extends Nile Delta find

Germany's RWE Dea Egypt has confirmed a further extension of the South Sidi Ghazy-1x discovery in the Egyptian Nile Delta. The latest well follows the successful appraisal of the North Sidi Ghazy-1x discovery reported earlier this year. The company's Disouq project is planned to start producing next year. Well SSG-1-2 was the second to be drilled in the South Sidi Ghazy structure and reached a total measured depth of 2,833 m (9,295 ft). The well was drilled 1.3 km (0.8 miles) northwest from the discovery and confirmed the extension of the gas resources and the good Messinian (Abu Madi formation) reservoir properties in a northwestern compartment of the field. The first phase of the Disouq development will see RWE Dea develop seven gas discoveries together with the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company and the Suez Oil Company. The onshore block covers 5,375 sq km (2,075 sq miles).

Ultra-deep wildcat off Israel

Calgary-based GeoGlobal Resources Inc. has spudded a deepwater wildcat offshore Israel in the Mediterranean Sea. The Sara-1 exploration probe was spudded by GeoGlobal and its partners in September using the Noble Homer Ferrington semisubmersible rig. The well is located 60 km (37 miles) offshore in approximately 1,400 m (4,593 ft) water depth. Sara-1 is planned to be drilled vertically to approximately 4,000 m (13,124 ft) true vertical depth subsea and is anticipated to take approximately 50 days to drill. GeoGlobal is the operator of the well with a 5% stake. ILDC Energy and its affiliates own 41.6%, and its parent company Israel Land Development Company owns 5%. Modiin Energy LP, controlled by Tzahi Sultan and Nochi Danker's IDB Holding Corp. Ltd., owns 29.2%, IDB directly owns 5.6%, and IPC Oil and Gas Holdings Ltd. holds 13.6%.

CENTRAL ASIA

Black Sea shoot for Lukoil

A 3-D seismic survey is underway by Lukoil subsidiary Lukoil Overseas on two deepwater blocks in the Romanian sector of the Black Sea. The shoot over the East Rapsodia and Trident blocks is being carried out by CGGVeritas and is due for completion in November. The survey will cover up to 2,000 sq km (772 sq miles). The blocks are being explored by Lukoil (80%, operator) and US independent Vanco International (20%). The consortium was awarded the right to implement these projects as a result of concession agreements signed in 2011. Both blocks feature water depths ranging from 90 m to 1,000 m (295 ft to 3,281 ft) and lie between 60 km and 100 km (37 miles to 62 miles) offshore.

ASIA PACIFIC

Chevron's Satyr no myth

Chevron has notched up further exploration success offshore Western Australia, with its Satyr-2 probe in the Greater Gorgon area hitting gas pay. The exploration well in the Carnarvon basin confirmed approximately 39 m (128 ft) of net gas pay in the WA-374-P permit area approximately 120 km (73 miles) northwest of Barrow Island. The well was drilled in 1,088 m (3,570 ft) of water to a total depth of 3,796 m (12,454 ft). Satyr-2 is Chevron's 15th discovery in Australia since mid-2009. Chevron Australia is the operator of WA-374-P with a 50% interest, while Shell and ExxonMobil each hold 25%.

Beach in a whirl over Windmill

Australian independent Beach Energy's Windmill-1 exploration well in PEL 92 on the western flank of the Cooper basin onshore Australia discovered oil in the Namur Sandstone and Birkhead formations. The well reached a total depth of 2,100 m (6,890 ft), and wireline logs have now been acquired. The well hit a 6-m (20-ft) net oil column in the Namur sandstone and indications of oil within the Birkhead formation, said minority partner Cooper Energy in a press statement. Joint venture participants in PEL 92 are Beach Energy (75%, operator) and Cooper Energy (25%).

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