Cairn Energy's latest exploration well offshore Morocco has been plugged and abandoned without testing.

After drilling the JM 1 well in targeting Upper Jurassic and Middle Jurassic objectives Cairn said in a stock exchange statement that the well reached 3,711 m (12,172 ft) total vertical depth subsea and was plugged without testing.

Detailing drilling results, Cairn said the well confirmed heavy oil over a gross 110 m (360 ft) interval, as originally encountered in a 1968 well – located 2 km (1.25 miles) from the JM 1 well location. But reservoir quality and the oil gravity in the Upper Jurassic section across the Cap Juby structure require further evaluation, Cairn said.

Meanwhile work is underway to correlate the core and log data obtained from JM-1 with other wells drilled on Cap Juby license to evaluate the extent of moveable hydrocarbons and how any further assessment should be conducted, the operator stated.

Cairn drilled the JM 1 well partnered by Genel Energy and Morocco's ONHYM – the Office National Des Hydrocarbures et Des Mines.