AFRICA

Gulfsands clinches new Moroccan license

Gulfsands Petroleum Plc has finalized agreements with Morocco’s Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM) for the acquisition of the newly created Moulay Bouchta permit, according to a Gulfsands press release. Gulfsands will operate the permit with a 75% participating interest while ONHYM will retain a 25% participating interest. The Moulay Bouchta permit encompasses an area of approximately 2,850 sq km (1,100 sq miles) and is located to the north of Gulfsands’ Rharb Sud permit. It extends eastward to surround the western, northern and eastern boundaries of the Fes Block onshore northern Morocco.

Total discovers oil offshore Ivory Coast

The Total-operated Saphir-1XB exploration well on Block CI-514 proved the presence of liquid hydrocarbons in the deep offshore west of Ivory Coast, the company said in a news release. It is the first discovery in the San Pedro Basin, a frontier exploration area in Ivory Coast. Lying in 2,300 m (7,546 ft) of water, Saphir-1XB is the first well in Block CI-514. It was drilled to a total depth of 4,655 m (15,272 ft), encountering around 40 m (131 ft) of net pay containing light 34°API oil in a series of 350 m (1,148 ft) of reservoirs, the release said.

ASIA-PACIFIC

Shell makes Malaysia deepwater gas find

The Rosmari-1 well encountered more than 450 m (1,476 ft) of gas column in Block SK318 about 135 km (84 miles) offshore Malaysia, Shell said in a press release. The well was drilled to a total depth of 2,123 m (6,965 ft). Shell said the finding is a positive indicator of the gas potential in an area of strategic interest for the company where it has further exploration planned. Shell operates Block SK318 with an 85% interest. The remaining 15% is held by Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd.

Oilex confirms hydrocarbons with Cambay well

Cambay-77H in the Cambay Basin of Gujarat, India, has reached total depth at 2,370 m (7,776 ft) and intersected the primary reservoir target. Increased gas readings similar to Cambay-76H indicate the reservoir is hydrocarbon-bearing, Oilex Ltd. said. Cambay-77H is offset 300 m (984 ft) from the Cambay-76H horizontal well that underwent a successful multistage fracture stimulation program in 2012. It was suspended before testing because of mechanical problems. Prior to the well being suspended, gas and condensate flowed to surface during well operations.

RUSSIA CIS

Tethys finds shallow gas in third Kazakhstan well

Analysis of data from Well AKK19, the third shallow gas exploration well of Tethys Petroleum Ltd.’s 2014 program, has indicated that the well has a pay zone twice as thick as the AKK15 well. The AKK15 well tested gas at a stable rate of about 195 Mcm/d (7MMcf/d), and the AKK19 well is anticipated to test at significantly more than that rate, a Tethys press release said. The AKK19 well was drilled to a depth of 800 m (2,624 ft) about 5 km (3.1 miles) southeast of AKK15 and encountered an 8-m (26-ft) interval of gas-bearing Tasaran sand with an average porosity of 30%.

MIDDLE EAST

ShaMaran: AT-4 well flows oil in Kurdistan

The Atrush-4 (AT-4) appraisal/development well in the Kurdistan region of Iraq has been suspended as a potential future producer, according to ShaMaran Petroleum. Three separate drillstem tests were conducted in the Jurassic reservoir with maximum rates totaling 9,059 bbl/d of oil of 27°API to 28°API from two of the tests, a news release said.

EUROPE

Statoil discovers gas, oil in Valemon area

Statoil and the Valemon Unit partners have made a gas and oil discovery in the Valemon Nord prospect in the North Sea, a Statoil press release said. The main wellbore, 34 10-54 S, proved a gross 164-m (538-ft) gas/condensate and oil column in the Middle Jurassic Brent Group. The sidetrack, 34/10-54 A, proved a gross 100-m (328-ft) gas/condensate column in the Brent Group and in sand of unspecified Jurassic age and an additional gross 140-m (450-ft) gas/condensate column in the Statfjord Group. Gas/condensate also was found in the Middle Jurassic Cook Formation. Statoil estimates the total volumes in Valemon Nord to be in the range of 20 MMboe to 75 MMboe.

Netherlands may become net natural gas importer

The Netherlands, Europe’s second-largest gas exporter, may become a net importer by 2025 as output falls from its Groningen province and progress in unconventional sources stalls, the International Energy Agency said. Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s government was forced to cut gas output from the Slochteren Field in Groningen by 21% this year to 42.5 Bcm (1.5 Tcf) in 2014 and 2015 after earthquakes linked to extraction led to a public backlash. A new production plan for the gas field, Europe’s largest, will be presented by July 1, 2016.

NORTH AMERICA

Seismic partners pair up offshore Canada

Two Norwegian-listed seismic companies will collaborate on an expanded seismic survey offshore Canada using two vessels starting next month. TGS and PGS will work on a survey covering more than 30,000 km (18,641 miles) of territory in the Labrador Sea and in the northeast Newfoundland and Flemish Pass regions using multisensor technology from PGS. According to TGS, the 2-D survey will cover areas of interest to Canada's Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board, due to form part of new licensing areas.

Magnum sells remaining Canadian assets

Magnum Hunter Resources has agreed to sell 100% of its ownership interest in its Canadian subsidiary to a Canadian private company for about $67.5 million, according to a news release. The assets consist primarily of oil and gas properties located in the Tableland Field in Saskatchewan, Canada. The transaction will complete Magnum Hunter's goal of exiting and divesting all of its Canadian assets, the release said.

LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN

Leni hits oil onshore Trinidad

Leni Gas and Oil Plc’s first new Goudron, Trinidad, development well GY-664 has encountered oil between 174 m (571 ft) and the current well depth of 335 m (1,100 ft) with combined pay intervals of about 59 m (193 ft) in the upper Goudron Sands, according to a company press release. Drilling is continuing in the remaining Goudron Sands, estimated to be 122 m (400 ft) thick, to the first casing point at about 469 m (1,540 ft) where electric logs will be run. Drilling will then continue to test the primary objectives in the Gros Morne and the Lower Cruse Sands at depths below 853 m (2,800 ft).

GULF OF MEXICO

Stone Energy’s Cardona South hits oil in GoM

The Cardona South well (MC 29 #5 well) has encountered more than 84 m (275 ft) of net oil pay in three separate sections of the well, Stone Energy said in a news release. The Cardona South success extends the productive zone of the Mississippi Canyon 29 TB-9 well to the adjacent fault block to the south and sets up a potential second and third well in the fault block. Plans are to flow the Cardona South well to the Pompano platform, with first production expected in early 2015, the release said.

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