AFRICA
Statoil confirms major Tanzanian gas find
Partners ExxonMobil and Statoil have confirmed a big gas find after testing at the deepwater Zafarani discovery offshore Tanzania. Statoil declared that two intervals tested in the Zafarani 2 well have provided sufficient technical data to underpin a commercial LNG development for the region. Testing on two separate intervals in the Zafarani 2 well drilled in Block 2 offshore Tanzania yielded a maximum flow rate of 1.9 MMcm/d (66 MMcf/d) of gas, which was constrained by test equipment, and confirmed good reservoir quality and connectivity, Statoil said in a statement. Testing was carried out in a water depth of 2,400 m (7,872 ft) at a location 80 km (50 miles) from the Tanzanian mainland.

CGG completes Benin geomapping
CGG has completed an onshore countrywide airborne geophysical survey of the Republic of Benin, the company said in a press release. The survey program was commissioned by the government of Benin to enhance the development of the country’s natural resource sector. The data were acquired from May 2013 to October 2013. They have been processed and are in the final stages of geological interpretation.

ASIA-PACIFIC
Bauer-12 well hits oil in Cooper basin
The Bauer oil field in PEL 91 has increased in size after the Bauer-12 appraisal well encountered oil, Beach Energy said in a news release. The well intersected the primary Namur Sandstone target 3 m (10 ft) high to prognosis with 5 m (16 ft) of net oil pay. An additional 4-m (13-ft) oil-bearing interval also was intersected in the overlying McKinlay Member. These results have extended the areal extent of the field, with preliminary mapping adding 2.5 MMbbl to the 2P reserves of Bauer, Beach said in the release. As a result, Bauer-12 will be cased and suspended as a future oil producer.

EUROPE
Langlitinden well strikes oil
Partners in an exploration well in the Norwegian sector of the Barents Sea have made a new oil discovery on the Langlitinden prospect, but it looks unlikely to be commercial. Operator Det Norske declared that the 7222/11-2 Langlitinden well encountered oil after drilling in PL 659 in the Barents Sea. Based on preliminary analysis of well results, Det Norske said the volumes proven in this well were insufficient to justify a field development.

Total finds oil at Norwegian Trell prospect
Drilling at the Trell prospect offshore Norway has encountered an oil-bearing interval that is thought to contain up to 12.5 MMbbl. Operated by Total E&P Norge, the 25/5-9 Trell prospect well has been drilled close to Norway’s Heimdal field. The well encountered a 21-m (72-ft) oil column, of which 19 m (62 ft) is of good reservoir quality in addition to an oil/water contact point. Preliminary estimates suggest that the find contains between 3.1 MMbbl and 12.5 MMbbl of recoverable oil. Drilling partners will assess the discovery along with other nearby prospects for further evaluation, according to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate.

MIDDLE EAST
Jura discovers gas, condensate in Pakistan
Jura Energy Corp. has discovered gas and condensate at the Ayesha-1 exploration well in the Badin IV South block in Pakistan. The Ayesha-1 well was completed in the B sands of the Lower Goru formation of Cretaceous age. During a short test on a 32/64-in. choke, the well flowed gas at a rate of 321,000 cm/d (11.34 MMcf/d) with a wellhead flowing pressure of 1,998 psi, Jura said in a press release. The condensate-to-gas ratio was in the range of 10 bbl/28.3 Mcm to 12 bbl/28.3 Mcm (10 bbl/MMcf to 12 bbl/MMcf) with minimal water cut production.

Tethys hits oil onshore Oman
Tethys Oil has made an oil discovery onshore Oman at exploration well B4EW6. The exploration well was drilled on a previously undrilled structure onshore Oman and has tested flow rates in excess of 2,200 b/d on a 32/64-in. choke from the Lower Buah formation, the company said in a press release. B4EW6 was drilled approximately 13 km (8 miles) south of the B4EW4 discovery. The new B4EW6 well constitutes the best flows encountered from the Lower Buah outside the B4EW4 area so far, the company said. The well is hooked up to the production system to undergo a long-term production test.

NORTH AMERICA
Devon sells Canadian conventional assets
Devon Energy Corp. has entered a definitive agreement to sell the majority of its Canadian conventional assets to Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. for US $2.8 billion. The sale excludes the company’s Horn River, Lloydminster, and thermal heavy oil assets in Canada. Proved reserves associated with the divestiture totaled approximately 170 MMboe as of Dec. 31, 2013. The transaction is subject to customary terms and conditions and is expected to close early in 2Q 2014. Upon close of the transaction, the company plans to immediately repatriate the proceeds to the US for use in the repayment of debt incurred to finance its Eagle Ford acquisition.

GULF OF MEXICO
Stone Energy encounters oil with Cardona in GoM
Stone Energy Corp.’s deepwater Cardona well (MC 29 #4 well) encountered 26 m (84 ft) of net oil pay in the development section of the well at Mississippi Canyon 29 in the Gulf of Mexico, according to a company press release. The company is running casing to protect this zone while drilling the exploration section of the well. The Cardona success extends the productive zone of the Mississippi Canyon 29 TB-9 well to the adjacent fault block to the north.

SOUTH AMERICA
Americas Petrogas hits more oil in Vaca Muerta
Americas Petrogas has made another oil and gas discovery at its Agua de Afuera (ADA.x-1) Vaca Muerta formation unconventional vertical shale exploration well, which is located on the Los Toldos II block in Neuquén basin, Argentina, according to a news release. A five-stage hydraulic fracture stimulation in the Vaca Muerta shale formation was conducted on the vertical well. The ADA.x-1 well was drilled to a total depth of 3,448.5 m (11,311 ft) in late 2012 and drilled through 340 m (1,115 ft) of the primary target Vaca Muerta shale formation with oil and gas shows through most of this shale section. Hydrocarbon shows also were encountered in secondary targets such as the Agrio, Quintuco, and Tordillo formations.

Petrobras hits oil in Transfer of Rights area
Petrobras has confirmed it has established further reserves of good-quality oil on two of its largest presalt discoveries after drilling new wells. The state-owned operator said in a press release that it completed drilling the wells on the Florim and Entorno de Iara discoveries in the Transfer of Rights area in the Santos basin. Well 3-BRSA-1215-RJS (3-RJS-725), informally known as Florim-2, confirmed the discovery of good-quality oil (29°API) in carbonate reservoirs of excellent quality below the salt layer at a depth of 5,412 m (17,757 ft), having reached a total depth of 5,679 m (18,633 ft). The other well, 3-BRSA-1172-RJS (3-RJS-722), is informally known as Entorno de Iara 2 and also confirmed the discovery of good-quality oil (26º API) in carbonate reservoirs of excellent quality below the salt layer at a depth of 5,116 m (16,786 ft). The well confirmed a 526-m (1,726-ft) thick oil column, it said. The exploratory phase of these areas is expected to be complete by September 2014. According to the Transfer of Rights agreement, Petrobras could declare the area commercial by then.

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