SOUTH AMERICA

More oil found in Marlin Complex

Petrobras has discovered more oil in the Campos basin in its Marlin Complex. The 4-VD-18-RJS (4-BRSA-994-RJS) well, also called Tucura, lies between the producing fields of Voador and Marlim in 523 m (1,716 ft) water depth near the P-20 platform. Preliminary analyses indicate the oil is of the same quality as found in the adjacent fields of Marlim and Voador, with close to 20°API.

Franco NW probe confirms extension

The first well drilled after the execution of the Transfer of Rights agreement for the Franco area in the presalt Santos Basin has confirmed the extension of the oil reservoirs northeast of the original discovery well. Petrobras said the new well, 3-BRSA-944A-RJS (3-RJS-688A), known as Franco NW, was drilled in 1,860 m (6,103 ft) water depth. The extension was confirmed through good-quality oil samples (28°API) obtained from wire-line tests.

NORTH AMERICA

Cheyenne East well hits pay zone

Anadarko has made its first discovery in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) since the deepwater moratorium with its Cheyenne East well. The deepwater find encountered 15 m (50 ft) of natural gas pay and is expected to begin producing in 2012, according to Chuck Meloy, Anadarko senior vice president, worldwide operations.

The ATP Titan has a design capacity of 25,000 b/d of oil and 50 MMcf/d of gas. (Image courtesy of ATP Oil & Gas)

ATP sells Telemark deep rights

ATP Oil & Gas sold its interest in the deep rights (below 23,499 ft TVDSS) in one of its deepwater Telemark Hub properties in the GoM to an undisclosed third party for US $26 million. The company will retain a 1% overriding royalty interest.

Statoil seals Newfoundland duo

Statoil has won operatorship of two frontier exploration blocks offshore Canada near an existing deepwater discovery. The company and consortium partners Chevron Canada and Repsol E&P Canada landed the exploration rights on two parcels in the Flemish Pass basin offshore Newfoundland and Labrador. Statoil will operate both licenses with a 50% interest, while Chevron will hold 40% and Repsol 10%.

AFRICA

Independence day for Vanco

Vanco C?te d’Ivoire Ltd. and its partners have confirmed a deepwater discovery in Block CI-401 offshore the Ivory Coast. The Independance-1X well penetrated the targeted objective and found a series of good-quality sandstones containing light oil. Full analysis of well results, including wireline logs, reservoir pressures, and fluid samples, confirmed 8 m (26 ft) of hydrocarbon pay in a good-quality Turonian-aged sand package. Hydrocarbon samples recovered from the well indicate 40°API gravity. The well will be temporarily abandoned at a total depth (TD) of 4,132 m (13,557 ft). The wildcat well was drilled in 1,689 m (5,542 ft) water depth approximately 93 km (58 miles) southeast of Abidjan by the Ocean Rig Olympia drillship.

Teak appraisal not so tough

Operator Kosmos Energy said its Teak-3A appraisal well has confirmed the northern extension of the discovery in the deepwater West Cape Three Points Block. The well encountered approximately 35 m (115 ft) of hydrocarbons in multiple good-quality reservoirs, with 13 m (43 ft) of 36-39°API gravity and 22 m (72 ft) of gas-condensate pay identified. The Transocean Marianas semi-submersible drilled the Teak-3A to 3,222 m (10,571 ft) TD in 444 m (1,457 ft) water depth. Kosmos anticipates drilling the Teak-4A appraisal well in 2Q 2012.

EUROPE

Faroe Petroleum’s Fulla update

Faroe Petroleum reports that its oil discovery in well 206/5a-3 drilled on the Fulla prospect and neighboring the existing Freya discovery in license P.1161 has been measured at 19°API. Results indicate that the Fulla oil is of a related quality to the crude oil in the Clair field, located approximately 31 km (19 miles) to the southwest. Faroe has conducted a post-drill analysis of the license area, which indicates a most likely discovered oil-in-place figure of 166 MMbbl and initial estimated recovery factor ranges from 15% to 25%.

Northern completes Adriatic shoot

Northern Petroleum has completed a 600-km (365-mile) 2-D seismic survey in the southern Adriatic Sea covering two licenses, F.R39.NP & F.R40.NP. Seismic acquisition began in November using the vessel M/V Princess contracted from CGGVeritas SA and was completed within the prescribed six-day period. The seismic acquisition is part of the work program being funded by Northern. Additional 3-D seismic is planned for 2012.

Greenland grim for Cairn

Cairn Energy’s AT7-1 well in the Atammik Block in the South Ungava Area was plugged and abandoned by the Leiv Eiriksson rig after a modular dynamic tester program failed to establish hydrocarbons. The well, which was drilled in 909 m (2,982 ft) water depth offshore Green-land, encountered a 113-m (371-ft) gross interval with 53 m (174 ft) of net reservoir-quality sands of Cretaceous age. Also in the Atammik Block, the AT2-1 well was completed by the Ocean Rig Corcovado semisubmersible rig in 1,045 m (3,429 ft) water depth approximately 46 km (28 miles) from the AT7-1 well. The well encountered only minor hydrocarbon shows and also was plugged and abandoned. An additional 3-D seismic survey over the Lady Franklin and Atammik region is under consideration for 2012.

MIDDLE EAST

RAK racks up Oman find

Dubai-based RAK Petroleum has suspended drilling operations on its Saleh-5 well offshore Ras Al Khaimah following consultations with partner RAK Gas LLC, which has exercised its full 30% back-in option to the field redevelopment project by agreeing to pay its pro-rata share of past and forward costs. Total Saleh-5 drilling costs, including suspension and rig move, are estimated at US $35 million, of which RAK Petroleum’s share is $24.5 million. The Noble Roy Rhodes rig has now been transferred to the nearby company-operated Block 8 offshore Oman, where it is committed to drilling three development wells. The rig is available to return to the Saleh field by year-end 2012.

ASIA/ PACIFIC RIM

Timan Pechora success

Exillon has announced results from well 76 on the southern part of the ETP III field. The ETP III-76 well was designed to test the southern part of the field and is the first well drilled by the company in Timan-Pechora onshore northern Russia since Exillon went public in December 2009. The well, which flowed water-free oil to the surface at a rate of 470 b/d on an 18-mm choke, encountered the Lower Silurian reservoir at 3,306 m (10,847 ft), confirming 15 m (49 ft) of effective net oil pay within the reservoir. The rig has now mobilized to drill well 7601 on the same structure with target completion in 1Q 2012.

The Ocean Rig Corcovado semisubmersible rig drilled the Cairn-operated AT2-1 well in 1,045 m (3,429 ft) of water offshore Greenland. (Photo courtesy of Ocean Rig)

Indonesian deep prizes

Eni, BP, Statoil, and other western majors all picked up blocks in Indonesia’s latest licensing round, some of them in prime deepwater and ultra-deepwater territory. The Italian major, through its Indonesian subsidiary, was awarded two new production-sharing contracts (PSCs), with one in the offshore East Kalimantan Province. The North Ganal PSC covers 2,432 sq km (940 sq miles) in the Kutei basin, with Eni set to be the operator. The PSC lies adjacent to the successful Jangkrik and Jangkrik NE discoveries. The deal involves drilling of one well and acquisition of 200 km (122 miles) of 2-D seismic during the first three years of exploration. Other partners in the consortium include Statoil, Niko Resources, North Ganal Energy Ltd. (a subsidiary of Black Platinum Energy), and GDF Suez. In the West Papua Province (East Indonesia), Eni also was awarded a 100% interest in the Arguni I PSC onshore and offshore the Bintuni basin.

BP was awarded 100% interests in the West Aru I and II PSCs in the Arafura Sea, where it operates the North Arafura PSC. The two blocks have water depths ranging from 200 m to 2,500 m (656 ft to 8,202 ft).

Statoil was awarded the operatorship and a substantial WI in the frontier Halmahera II Block (8,000 sq km). It will operate the license with an 80% interest, with Niko Resources holding the remainder.

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