Africa Hydrocarbons Inc. has released an operational update regarding its BHN-1 exploration well on the Bouhajla Permit in northeastern Tunisia.

As previously announced, the BHN-1 well penetrated 245 m (804 ft) of chalky limestones of the targeted Abiod formation within the Bouhajla North prospect. During drilling, elevated levels of methane-butane were noted in the mud log with indications of both open and healed fractures noted in the drill cuttings, the release said. Fluid losses during drilling of between 0.8 cm and 3 cm per hour were encountered throughout the Abiod. Hole stability issues below the intermediate casing string dictated a decision to case the wellbore rather than risk losing the hole, and then follow up with cased-hole neutron/sonic/gamma logs for initial evaluation purposes.

Further log evaluation was conducted on Sept. 25 using a pulse-neutron logging tool, previously unavailable in the country, to determine pore saturations within the Abiod. The results of the pulse-neutron log are indicative of elevated hydrocarbon saturations throughout the Abiod reservoir section with no indication of having intersected a water contact, the release said. The pulse-neutron log interpretation was consistent with the other data and observations related to the wellbore.

Typically, Abiod reservoirs rely on naturally-occurring fractures for the production of hydrocarbons. The non-fractured Abiod section in BHN-1 has characteristically low permeability; however, several zones of enhanced permeability due to apparent natural fractures and faulting have been interpreted from the logs and confirm expectations based on 3-D seismic interpretation of the Bouhajla North structure, the release said. Two 6-m (20-ft) intervals over interpreted fracture zones near the bottom of the logged Abiod reservoir section have been identified for possible flow and testing analysis.

The BHN-1 completion protocol will be similar to that successfully employed by the operator of the Sidi el Kilani field 25 km (16 miles) to the east of BHN-1. After perforating, an acid wash of the perforations will be carried out followed by an acid squeeze into the formation. Cleaning and treating of the drilling fluids/solids and removal from the waste pit at BHN-1 is underway and is expected to take approximately three weeks to complete before commencement of further operations, according to the release.

The BHN-1 well was spud on June 8, 2013 and is the first exploration well on the Bouhajla permit. It is being drilled to evaluate a Cretaceous Abiod oil target on the Bouhajla North prospect, the release said.