Africa

Eni hits gas offshore Mozambique

Eni has discovered an estimated resource potential of 7.5 Tcf of gas in place at its Mamba North 1 prospect in Area 4 offshore Mozambique. The discovery well was drilled in 1,690 m (5,577 ft) water depth and encountered 186 m (614 ft) of gas pay in multiple high-quality Oligocene and Paleocene sands. Mamba North 1, which flowed 35.3 MMcf/d, increases the potential of the Mamba Complex in Area 4 to approximately 30 Tcf.

Algeria green lights North Reggane Project

The Algerian national agency for hydrocarbon resources, ALNAFT, has authorized the US $3 billion development of six fields in the North Reggane Project in the Algerian Sahara Desert. A total of 104 wells across the six development areas will be developed by a consortium consisting of Repsol, Sonatrach, RWE Dea, and Edison. Production, slated for mid-2016, is expected to reach 282 MMcf/d of gas the first 12 years, with field life estimated to be 25 years.

Orange basin 2-D survey under way

Spectrum, in partnership with CGGVeritas and the National Petroleum Corp. of Namibia, has initiated a new 2-D multiclient seismic survey in the deepwater Orange basin offshore Namibia. The program includes the acquisition of 7,000 km (4,350 miles) of long-offset data via the Seabird Exploration M/V Northern Explorer seismic vessel. Final deliverables are expected to be available June 2012.

Sonangol kicks off offshore Angola survey

TGS is in the process of acquiring a 3-D multiclient seismic survey covering approximately 12,497 sq km (4,825 sq miles) offshore Angola for Angola state oil company Sonangol. The survey includes Blocks 36 and 37, which are part of a highly prospective deepwater presalt hydrocarbon play in 2,000 m to 5,000 m (6,560 ft to 16,400 ft) water depth, and is expected to be completed in 3Q 2012.

Asia/Pacific Rim

Santos turns on taps at Indonesia gas field

Santos has started gas production from the Wortel project on the Sampang production-sharing contract offshore East Java in Indonesia. Gross output from the combined Oyong and Wortel fields is expected to be 85 MMcf/d.

Chevron to boost Tengiz production

Chevron affiliate Tengizchevroil LLP (TCO) expects to enter FEED in 2012 for a trio of projects, including sour-gas injection, that will expand daily production from the Tengiz field in Kazakhstan by 250,000 bbl to 300,000 bbl at an estimated cost of up to $25 billion.

Chevron hits 13th discovery offshore Australia

Chevron's Australian subsidiary encountered 74 m (243 ft) of net gas pay at the Satyr-3 well in the Exmouth Plateau area in the Carnarvon basin offshore Western Australia. The well, located in the WA-374-P permit area, was drilled to 4,075 m (13,369 ft) TD in 1,124 m (3,688 ft) water depth.

Europe/Russia

Ukraine well starts producing at more than 1.5 MMcf/d

Kulczyk Oil Ventures has confirmed that its partially owned subsidiary KUB-Gas LLC has started commercial production from the Olgovskoye-6 (O-6) well in Ukraine at a rate of more than 1.5 MMcf/d, increasing total field production to more than 18.5 MMcf/d (13 MMcf/d net). Meanwhile, the O-8 well, which was fraced after O-6, is expected to begin producing in March.

Barents Sea 3-D multiclient EM campaign begins

EMGS has begun a multiclient 3-D electromagnetic campaign in the Barents Sea ahead of Norway's 22nd exploration licensing round. Data acquisition will begin in March using the Atlantic Guardian vessel. Preliminary data deliverables will be available from April 2012, and 3-D inverted data will be available May 2012.

RWE Dea spins bit at Clipper South

RWE Dea UK has spudded the first development well for the Clipper South gas field in Blocks 48/19 and 48/20 on the UK Continental Shelf. The #48/19a-C1 well is targeting a tight Permian-age Rotliegend reservoir at a depth of 2,500 m (8,250 ft) and is the first of up to five extended horizontal wells with multiple hydraulic fractures. The field contains approximately 500 Bcf of gas in place, and production is expected in summer 2012.

First spar platform to be installed on NCS

Statoil and its partners will develop the deepwater Luva field in the Norwegian Sea using a spar platform – the first of such developments on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). The concept includes two subsea templates with four wells on each and one satellite template with one well. The platform will include a gas processing facility with capacity of 812 MMcf/d. Luva, expected to come online in 2016, is in 1,300 m (4,290 ft) water depth.

Sn?hvit field reserves raised by 706 Bcf

Statoil reports that recoverable reserves from the Sn?hvit field have been increased by 706 Bcf to 7.4 Tcf. The adjustment corresponds to an increase of 125 MMboe in relation to the resource estimate that was prepared in the plan for development and operation. Original recoverable resouces were estimated at 6.7 Tcf and 113 MMbbl of condensate.

South America

Total divests onshore Colombia assets

Sinochem has agreed to acquire TEPMA, a fully owned affiliate of Total, which holds a working interest in the Cusiana field as well as participation in the OAM and ODC pipelines in Colombia, for $1 billion. Total's share of production in Cusiana is approximately 7,000 boe/d. In Colombia, the company retains a 55% interest in the Mundo Nuevo block, a 50% interest in the Niscota block, and a 5.2% share in the Ocensa pipeline.

Franco Northwest proves additional oil reserves

Petrobras has confirmed the extension of oil reserves northwest of the Franco discovery well in the Santos basin presalt area offshore Brazil. The #3-BRSA-944A-RJS (#3-RJS-688A) well, which was drilled in 1,860 m (6,138 ft) water depth, encountered 28°API oil samples from 5,460 m (18,018 ft).

Hydrocarbon find may confirm new Solim?es cluster

Petrobras has discovered oil and natural gas at the 1-BRSA-961-AM well in the Solim?es basin on Block SOL-T-171 in Amazonas state onshore Brazil. The well Igarap? Chibata Leste was drilled to a final depth of 3,295 m (10,873 ft). Tests indicate production capacity of 1,400 b/d of good quality oil (41°API) and 1.6 MMcf of gas in the Juru? formation.

North America

Kitimat LNG project moves ahead

The National Board of Canada has approved an application by BC LNG Export Cooperative LLC for a license to export 36 million metric tons (MMmt/y) of LNG per year from Kitimat, British Columbia, primarily to Asian markets over a 20-year period. The maximum annual quantity allowed for export will be 1.8 MMmt/y of LNG.

Shell drills successful Appomattox appraisal

Shell has confirmed a successful appraisal at the Appomattox discovery in Mississippi Canyon Block 348 in the deepwater GoM. The appraisal well was drilled to 7,879 m (25,851 ft) TD and encountered approximately 46 m (150 ft) of oil pay. Plans are in place to continue the appraisal program in 2012 by drilling a well in the southwest block and a sidetrack appraisal in the northwest fault block.

Anadarko proves Heidelberg discovery

Anadarko Petroleum has reported a successful appraisal well in Green Canyon Block 903 in the deepwater GoM. The Heidelberg-2 appraisal well was drilled to 9,458 m (31,030 ft) TD in 1,524 m (5,000 ft) water depth and encountered 76 m (250 ft) of oil pay in high-quality Miocene sands. The company plans to sidetrack the well and initiate pre-FEED activities to prepare for sanctioning a field development project.

Middle East

Iran suspends oil exports to UK, France

At press time, Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qassemi was calling on European member states to make a final decision on oil imports from Iran following their decision to impose strict sanctions against the country, including freezing its central back assets and planning an oil embargo for July. In response, Iran has imposed a ban on oil exports to Britain and France. The 27-nation EU accounts for approximately 18% of Iran's oil exports.

Gulf Keystone completes Shaikan well tests

Gulf Keystone Petroleum has completed the testing program for its appraisal well #2-Shaikan in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Following an August 2011 Triassic discovery in the Kurre Chine C zone, the company conducted nine well tests that targeted the Triassic and Jurassic, with a maximum aggregate flow rate of 18,900 b/d. Shaikan has gross oil-in-place volumes of 8 MMbbl to 13.4 MMbbl, with a mean value of 10.5 Bbbl.

Noble strikes gas at Tanin prospect

Noble Energy has discovered natural gas at its Tanin prospect in the Alon A license, the company's sixth consecutive hydrocarbon find in the Levant basin offshore Israel. The well was drilled to 5,551 m (18,212 ft) TD in 1,555 m (5,100 ft) water depth and encountered 40 m (130 ft) of gross gas pay in high-quality Lower Miocene sands.

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