North Sea/Europe

Kraken captured in UKCS

UK-based independent Nautical Petroleum reported that the Kraken 9/02b-5Z horizontal well in UKCS North Sea Block 9/2b was successfully completed and tested using the Wilhunter semisubmersible drilling rig. The horizontal section of the well was drilled from 1,602 m (5,257 ft) MD to a total depth of 2,213 m (7,260 ft) MD. Preliminary log evaluation indicates a calculated net oil pay of 487 m (1,598 ft), with average porosity of 38% and average oil saturation of 90%.

The Aker Barents semisubmersible drilling rig drilled the 6508/1-2 well to 1,770 m (5,800 ft) depth below the surface, terminating in the Early Jurassic. (Image courtesy of DNO)

DNO hits pay in license 48

Det norske oljeselskap ASA (DNO), operator of PL 482 offshore Norway, is in the process of completing exploration well 6508/1-2 on the Skaugums?sen prospect. The well, which lies about 10 km (6 miles) south of the Norne field in the Norwegian Sea, encountered an 18 m (59 ft) gas column and a 23 m (75 ft) oil column. Further studies are necessary to determine if the discovery is economically viable, says DNO.

No go off Greenland for Cairn

Cairn Energy’s latest wildcat offshore Greenland has proven to be another duster. The UK independent’s Delta-1 exploration well in the Napariaq Block in the West Disko area was drilled in 293 m (961 ft) water depth approximately 365 km (222 miles) offshore Aasiaat.

The well was targeting the Cretaceous Section beneath the Tertiary volcanic but was plugged and abandoned after reaching TD at 2,977 m (9,768ft).

Goliat to be Barents’ first

The Goliat field will be the first oil field developed in the Norwegian sector of the Barents Sea. Production will begin in 2013 and will be in operation at least 10-15 years. As part of the field development, the newbuild vessel Dock-wise Vanguard will return to Korea to load and transport the Goliat FPSO vessel to northern Norway. Eni will operate the FPSO.

Africa

Tullow nears approval for Enyenra-Tweneboa

The latest well on Tullow Oil’s Enyenra offshore Ghana has confirmed an up-dip extension that moves the operator closer to a commercial go-ahead for development to be carried out along with the nearby Tweneboa discovery.

The Enyenra-3A appraisal well in the Deepwater Tano license encountered oil in high quality sandstone reservoirs. Pressure data indicates that the well has confirmed an up-dip extension of the Enyenra oil field. Transocean’s Deepwater Millennium drilled the well, which lies 6.5 km (4 miles) north of the Owo-1 discovery well and 14 km (8.7 miles) north of Enyenra-2A. Pressure data confirms a continuous oil column of at least 1,198 ft (365 m).

Anadarko raises estimates for Mozambique

Anadarko Petroleum has raised its reserves estimate for deepwater discoveries offshore Mozambique to more than 10 Tcf. The company is mobilizing a second deepwater drillship to the Rovuma Basin to accelerate its exploration and appraisal campaign, which includes an extensive reservoir testing program and up to seven exploration/appraisal wells over the next 12 months.

Its latest exploration well on the Camarao prospect encountered approximately 73 m (240 net ft) of gas pay in an excellent-quality reservoir and confirmed static pressure connectivity with the previously announced Windjammer and Lagosta discoveries. In addition, the well discovered approximately 43 m (140 net ft) of gas in he shallower Miocene and Oligocene sand packages not encountered in previous wells.

South America

Petrobras rolls out Barra

Brazil’s Petrobras has confirmed an ultra-deep discovery in the Sergipe-Alagoas basin, a find that potentially opens up a new province for Brazil’s already booming offshore sector.

Oil and gas accumulations were confirmed by a well formation test in the BM-SEAL-11 concession in Block SEAL-M-426. The oil sample indicated excellent quality – 45 °API in the upper interval and 32 °API in the lower interval. Well 1-BRSA-851-SES (1-SES-158), named Barra, lies in 2,341 m (7,681 ft) water depth 58 km (36 miles) offshore Sergipe.

Americas Petrogas finds oil onshore Argentina

Americas Petrogas and co-venturer Gran Tierra Energy have hit oil with the first of three exploration wells in the Rinconada Norte block in the Neuquen Basin onshore Argentina. The RNx-1004 well flowed 1,023 boe/d from two intervals tested separately in the Precuyo formation. The company estimates an oil column thickness of approximately 60 m (197 ft).

The Rinconada Norte block lies south of the company’s Medanito Sur block in La Pampa Province in the eastern region of the Neuquen Basin.

Natal flows gas for OGX

Brazil-based OGX has concluded a drillstem test in the Santonian section of well 1-OGX-11D-SPS in the shallow water BM-S-59 block in the Santos Basin. Following a discovery of a 180-m (591 ft) column with 75 m (246 ft) of net pay in the Santonian section of the Natal accumulation last year, a drillstem test on well OGX-11D confirmed the presence of gas and condensate

Well OGX-11D, named Natal, lies in block BM-S-59 approximately 84 km offshore Rio de Janeiro in 180 m (591 ft) water depth.

Middle East

Test success for Tethys onshore Oman

Sweden-based Tethys Oil announced in September that test production from an early production system on Blocks 3 and 4 onshore the Sultanate of Oman amounted to 190,938 bbl of oil, corresponding to 6,365 b/d of oil.

Iran boots Gazprom Neft

The Iranian Oil Ministry has dropped Gazprom Neft from the Azar oilfield deal and has suspended a contract with China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) for an offshore North Pars field development, according to the Fars News Agency.

The total volume of the gas in place in South Pars is approximately 58.9 Tcf, and the recoverable volume of sour gas is approximately 47.2 Tcf. (Image courtesy of Mohammed Sadegh Amini, special correspondent)

Iran previously had warned Gazprom Neft that it would be replaced with domestic companies unless work on Phase 11 of the South Pars field development was sped up. The ministry also signed a contract with state-owned oil companies to develop the Azar field, which has planned production of 50,000 b/d.

Gulf of Mexico

New wildcat for Green Canyon 451

According to IHS Inc., Perth, Australia-based Woodside Energy Inc., was awarded federal approval to drill an exploratory test on Green Canyon Block 451, a previously undrilled tract known as the Floyd prospect. Under the OCS G32509 lease, one deepwater wildcat is planned for a surface location in the northwestern portion of Block 451. Water depth in the area is 945 m (3,100 ft). The drilling rights to the block were acquired by partners Woodside (42%), Newfield Exploration Co. (42%) and Stone Energy Corp. (16%).

Lafitte test hits pay

McMoRan Exploration reported that the company found hydrocarbon-bearing sands at the company’s Lafitte exploratory test, #1 (BP) OCS G21640, on Eugene Island Block 223. Wireline logs indicate that Miocene sands below 7,407 m (24,300 ft) appear to be hydrocarbon bearing and the various thicknesses total 61 m (200 ft).

North America

Wildcats test Niagaran

IHS Inc. reported two Niagaran tests are planned in Ingham County, Mich., by Range Michigan LLC. The state permit application indicates that #1-1 Cremer will be in Section 1-2n-1e, and #1-11 Bowen will be in Section 11-2n-1e. Both tests have a proposed total depth of 1,372 m (4,500 ft). Niagaran oil production in two Ingham County fields (Ingham 12-2n-1e and Ingham 13-2n-1e) is about one mile southeast of Range Michigan’s planned tests. Discovery for Masham field

A horizontal producer by Territory Resources LLC of Stillwater, Okla., was completed on the northern flank of Masham Field in Pawnee County, Okla. The #1-27H Beast is in Section 22-23n-4e and pumped 585 b/d of 40?-degree gravity oil, 1 MMcf/d of gas and 2,300 b/d of water from a lateral in Mississippian at 1,331 – 2,451 m (4,367 – 8,041 ft) after it was acidized and fracture-stimulated. The 2,464-m (8,083-ft) venture was drilled south-southeastward to a bottomhole in Section 27-23n-4e and the true vertical depth is 1,098 m (3,604 ft).

New producer on Hereford Ranch prospect

On its Hereford Ranch prospect in Weld County, Colo., Houston, Texas-based EOG Resources Inc. completed a horizontal Niobrara producer that initially flowed 248 b/d of 36?-degree gravity of oil, 177,000 Mcf/d of gas and 237 b/d of water. The #13-17H Critter Creek is in Section 17-11n-63w and produces from a horizontal Niobrara lateral extending from 2,336 m (7,665 ft) northwestward to a 3,895 m (12,780 ft), 2,266 m (7,434 ft) true vertical. It was tested after fracturing Niobrara at 2,345 – 3,880 m (7,692 – 12,731 ft). Flow was gauged through a 16/ 64 -in. choke with a casing pressure of 690 psi.

Caspian/Central Asia

Cairn strikes gas offshore Sri Lanka

Cairn India Ltd. subsidiary Cairn Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. has made an ultra-deepwater gas discovery with the CLPL-Dorado-91H/1z well in the Mannar Basin offshore Sri Lanka. The well was drilled by Chikyu Hakken’s Chikyu drillship in 1,354 m (4,442 ft) water depth in block SL 2007-01-001.

A gross 25 m (82 ft) hydrocarbon column in sandstone between 3,044 m and 3,069 m (9,987-10,069 ft) measured depth (MD) was interpreted from log and MDT data to be predominantly gas-bearing with some additional liquid hydrocarbon potential.

North Russia success for Exillon

UK-listed Exillon Energy, has hit oil with the EWS I - 44 well in the southeastern part of the East EWS I field in northern Russia. Exillon spudded the EWS I - 44 well in August, dirlling the well 1.3 km (0.8 miles) west from the existing well pad. The well encountered the Jurassic P reservoir at 1,834 m (6,017 ft), confirming 7.3 m (24 ft) of effective net oil pay within the Jurassic and 3.1 m (10 ft) of oil-water transition zone.

New discovery at Mtsare Khevi field

Frontera Resources Corp. began testing operations at its #32 well drilled in the undeveloped northwestern portion of the Mtsare Khevi. The well was drilled to 370 m (1,214 ft) and subsequent log analysis indicated 33 m (108 ft) of gas bearing net pay were penetrated among the known Zones I, II, III within the field. Testing on the 14-m section in Zone I delivered a rate of 441 Mcf/d of gas on a 9mm choke and 671 Mcf on 16mm choke. Based on these results, the company believes that the #32 well has successfully expanded the size of the Mtsare Khevi field’s gas potential by as much as five times the original gas estimates.

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