Apache Makes ‘Major Oil’ Discovery Offshore Suriname

Houston-based Apache Corp. and partner Total SA have struck oil at the Kwaskwasi-1 well offshore Suriname, adding another exploration win to their budding success story in the 1.4 million-acre Block 58.

“This is the best well we’ve drilled in the basin to date, with the highest net pay in the best quality reservoirs,” Apache CEO John J. Christmann said July 29 in a company statement. “While we have a lot more work to do, a discovery of this quality and magnitude merits a pace of evaluation that enables the option of accelerated first production.”

Drilled to a depth of about 6,645 m (21,800 ft) by the Noble Sam Croft drillship, the well hit 278 m (912 ft) of net oil and volatile oil/gas condensate pay in two intervals, Apache said in a news release. The deeper Santonian interval contained 129 m (423 ft) of net hydrocarbon reservoir, while the shallower Campanian interval had 63 m (207 ft) of net oil pay and 86 m (282 ft) of net volatile oil/gas condensate pay, according to preliminary results.

“This very encouraging results confirm our exploration strategy in this prolific zone, which targets large volumes of resources at low development costs,” Kevin McLachlan, senior vice president of exploration for Total, said in a separate statement.

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The discovery marks the third offshore Suriname for Apache, which described resources there as “world-class.”

The Kwaskwasi find followed news in April of the Sapakara West discovery, about 10 km southeast of Kwaskwasi, and the Maka Central-1 discovery in January. Both discoveries, also located on Block 58, successfully tested for the presence of hydrocarbons in multiple stacked targets in the upper Cretaceous-aged Campanian and Santonian intervals, hitting both oil and gas condensate.

Plans are for Sam Croft to move about 17 km southeast of Sapakara West to drill the Keskesi prospect following the completion of Kwaskwasi-1 operations. The well will also test “oil-prone upper Cretaceous targets in the Campanian and Santonian,” Apache said.

Total said it will take over as the block’s operator after the fourth well is drilled.

Next year’s work will include an additional exploration campaign and an appraisal campaign aimed at better characterizing the 2020 discoveries, Total said.

The upcoming prospect is among the more than 50 prospects Apache said it has identified within the thermally mature play fairway along with at least seven play types.

Suriname, which is next door to Guyana, is among the most-watched spots for exploration in the industry. Suriname’s Block 58 is near the Exxon Mobil Corp.-operated Haimara gas and condensate discovery well offshore Guyana.