JPT: Regional Update Aug06

Vol. 58 No. 8

August 2006

Regional Update

AFRICA

Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Occidental Petroleum, Nigeria Petroleum Development Co., Sasol E&P, and Nigerian Natl. Petroleum Corp. discovered a 300-ft oil column on the Uge-1 well, located in 16,831 ft of water offshore Nigeria. Chevron also reported an oil find on the Obo-1 well in Nigeria’s JDZ Block 1. ExxonMobil began production from the Erha deepwater development offshore Nigeria.
Operator Total and Pecten Cameroon discovered oil in the Dissoni Block in the offshore Rio del Rey basin in Cameroon. The well encountered 50 m of oil pay.
Sonatrach found oil, gas, and condensate on the West El Merk Nord-1 well in Block 405a in the Berkine basin of the Sahara. The company’s Ait Hamouda 1 wildcat well on the Menzel Ledjmet permit, Block 405a, in the Berkine basin tested over two intervals at 724 B/D of condensate with 15 Mcf/D of gas and 377 B/D of condensate with 0.7 MMcf/D of gas.

Sinopec found a gas field in the northeast region of China’s Sichuan Province, the Puguang field. Aggregate proved recoverable reserves are estimated at 8.9 Tcf.
China Natl. Offshore Oil Corp. brought Phase 2 of its largest independent gas field on stream. Dong Fang 1-1 in the Yinggehai basin of Bei Bu Gulf in the western South China Sea is producing 187 MMcf/D. The company also reports that Bo Zhong 25-1/25-1S Field Phase II Platform A came on stream. The field is located in southeast Bohai Bay.
Focus Energy announced an on-shore discovery in the Rajasthan Block RJ-ON/6 in Well SGL-1, located in the Shahgarh area of the Jaisalmer district. This discovery, estimated to have 88–91% hydrocarbon content, is the first major find on the Indian side of the Indus basin.

Rift and Austral Pacific Energy reported a gas discovery on the wildcat exploration well Douglas-1, located in the PPL 235 area of Papua New Guinea. The well intersected two gas-bearing columns.
Operator Beach Petroleum and Cooper Energy found oil at the Sellicks Field PPL-204 area in the Cooper/Eromanga basin in Australia. A preliminary flow rate of 2,700 BOPD was achieved on the Sellicks-2 well.
Woodside and CalEnergy Gas encountered a gross gas pay section of approximately 223 m on the Thylacine South-1 well, located 2 km south of the Otway wellhead platform in Australia Production License T/L2.
Operator Roc Oil, AWE Oil, Wandoo Petroleum, ARC, and Cieco Exploration commenced production from the second well in the Cliff Head field, CH-12H, the first of four horizontal production wells to be brought on stream. The well is producing at 6,800 BOPD and will increase to more than 10,000 BOPD.

Hess Corp. and BG Group announced the commencement of gas production from the jointly developed Atlantic and Cromarty fields in the U.K. sector of the North Sea. The fields are expected to achieve a gross plateau rate of 220 MMcf/D.
Operator Talisman Energy, Petoro, and Pertra ASA reported test results on the 15/12-12 Rev discovery area, 6 km south of the Varg field offshore Norway. The appraisal well 15/12-16, drilled in 87 m of water, tested at 42.4 MMcf/D of gas.
Operator GDF Britain Ltd., Tullow Oil, Ruhrgas, and Endeavour Intl. announced a gas find on the Cygnus 44/12-2 well, located in the Southern Gas basin in the U.K. sector of the North Sea.
Tullow Oil commenced first production from the Schooner-10 well in the U.K. at a rate of 22 MMcf/D of gas. The well is the first of a Schooner-Ketch redevelopment program.

DNO found oil in Yemen with the Godah-2 appraisal well. The Godah wells are located approximately 14 km east of the Tasour field.
Toreador Resources, TPAO, and Stratic Energy reported that the Bayhanli-1 exploration well encountered gas offshore Turkey. The well is located in the South Akcakoca subbasin project area. Toreador also completed testing on the Akkaya-2 well in the Black Sea and encountered 23 m of net gas pay on the Akkaya-3 well.

Operator Total and Nexen found oil on the Alaminos Canyon Block 856 No. 1 well in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), 140 miles east of the Texas coast. Drilled in 7,600 ft of water, the well encountered 290 ft of net pay in two zones.
Kerr-McGee discovered gas in the deepwater GOM at the Claymore prospect in Atwater Valley Block 140. The Claymore No. 1 well encountered 150 ft of net pay. The company also reported an oil find on the Caesar No. 1 well, located in Green Canyon Block 683.

Queiroz Galvao Perfuracoes, Petrobras, and Norse Energy logged gas pay on the Manati development well No. 1 in Brazil. Approximately 342 m of gross pay was encountered in two formations.
Geopark Holdings reported tie-in of the first well in the Molino field in Chile’s Fell Block, commencing gas and condensate production. Work is under way to complete tie-in of the second and third wells on the block (in the Ovejero and Nika fields).