Exploration discoveries

	Vol. 230 No. 11
ARTHUR BERMAN, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, bermanae@gmail.com

Africa. Eni and Sonangol discovered oil in the Cabaca Norte-1 well on Block 15/06 offshore Angola. The well flowed 6,500 boepd from Miocene reservoirs. It is located 220 mi of Luanda in 1,640 ft of water, and was drilled to a TD of 9,285 ft. Eni operates with 35% interest along with partners SSI Fifteen Limited (20%), Sonangol Pasquisa, and Producao (15%), Total (15%) and three other partners.

Total subsidiary TEPA Limited and Sonangol discovered oil with the Gardenia-1 well on Block 17/06 offshore Angola. It tested 4,000 bopd from Miocene reservoirs and also identified pay in the Oligocene. The well was drilled in 3,200 ft of water. Total operates with a 40% interest.

Anadarko Petroleum began drilling its Mecupa-1 exploration on the Rovuma Block onshore Mozambique (see “What’s New in Exploration,” World Oil, July 2009). The well is located in northeastern Mozambique near the border of Tanzania, and south of Mnzai Bay Field that contains 1 Tcfg in Oligocene reservoirs. Anadarko operates with 51.7% interest in partnership with Artumas, Cove Energy and ENH, the national oil company of Mozambique.

Kosmos Energy’s Mahogany-4 appraisal well has extended the giant Jubilee Field about 5 mi east of the discovery well on the West Cape Three Points Block offshore Ghana. The field has attracted recent attention as ExxonMobil and PetroChina made offers to buy Kosmos’ interest in the discovery. Kosmos Energy operates with 30.875% interest in partnership with Anadarko (30.875%), Tullow Oil (22.896%) and three other partners.

Americas. OGX Petroleoe Gas Participacoes made a significant oil discovery with its Vesuvio 1-OGX-1-RJS well on Block BM-C-43 in the Campos Basin offshore Brazil. The company estimates recoverable reserves of 0.5−1.5 Bbo from the well that was drilled to a depth of 7,700 ft in 459 ft of water. The oil column is more than 650 ft with net sandstone pay of 187 ft. OGX operates with 100% interest.

BG Group’s Corcovado discovery well had disappointing results in the Santos Basin pre-salt play in Brazil. Although the discovery well tested condensate and gas, two appraisal wells failed to find hydrocarbons.

Alvorada Petroleo made an oil discovery with its 1ALV2BA well on the REC-T-155 Block in the Reconcavo Basin onshore Brazil. Alvorada operates with 100% interest.

BHP Billiton and partners Repsol and Hess discovered new pay zones in Shenzi Field on Green Canyon Block 653 in the US Gulf of Mexico. The Shenzi-G104 well found 497 ft of oil pay in intervals shallower than the main Lower Miocene producing horizon in the field. The Shenzi-8 appraisal well encountered 100 ft of Miocene oil pay on the north flank of the Shenzi structure, and an additional 30 ft of pay in a shallower zone. Shenzi is currently producing more than 120,000 bopd of oil. BHP Billiton operates with 44% interest. Repsol and Hess each hold 28%.

Pemex discovered oil with its Leek-1 well drilled in the Coatzacoalcos Profundo region of the Mexican sector of the Gulf of Mexico. Few details were announced for the well except that it is an oil discovery, and was drilled in 2,792 ft of water.

Husky Energy discovered gas in two wells drilled in the Montney and Doig formations in northeast British Columbia, Canada. The Graham b-10-D/94-B-9 well tested 2.9 MMcfd from the Doig formation and the Cypress a-31-B/94-B-15 well tested 5.4 MMcfd from the Montney and 2.9 MMcfd from the Doig.

Pioneer Natural Resources discovered gas and condensate with its Sinor-5 well from the Eagle Ford Shale in Live Oak County, Texas. The well flowed 8.3 MMcfd and 500 bcpd. It was drilled to a 13,000-ft TD and was completed in a 2,600-ft lateral section with a nine-stage fracture stimulation.

Petrolia successfully completed drilling its Petrolia Haldimand-2 appraisal well and logged 1,555 ft of oil-saturated York River Sandstone reservoir onshore Quebec. The well is located on the Gaspe Peninsula less than a mile from the Haldimand-1 discovery and was drilled to a 3,939-ft TD. Petrolia operates with 55.1% interest along with Junex (35.4%), and Gastem (9.5%).

Asia Pacific. InterOil’s Antelope-2 appraisal well tested 14.1 Mmcfd and 16.5 bcpd from Upper Miocene carbonate reservoirs on Block PPL237 onshore Papua New Guinea. The well was intended to test the down dip limit of the dolomitized reef limestone found in the Antelope-1 discovery that tested 382 MMcfd and 5,000 bcpd (see “What’s New in Exploration,” World Oil May 2009). The Antelope-2 well was cored and confirms high quality reservoir. InterOil operates with 100% interest.

Chevron Australia discovered gas with its Achilles-1 well discovery on Block WA-374-P in the Carnarvon Basin offshore Western Australia near Gorgon Field. The well found 325 ft of gas pay in a location 100 mi off Australia’s northwest coast. It was drilled to a 14,800-ft TD. Chevron Australia operates with 50% interest with Shell Development (Australia) and ExxonMobil Australia each holding 25%.

Europe. Det Norske Oljeselskap and ExxonMobil made an oil discovery with the Jetta well on Block 25/8, in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea on Production License 27D, Block south of Jotun Field. It is not yet clear whether the discovery will be commercial because the reservoir was thinner than anticipated. ExxonMobil operates with 13% along with partners Dana Petroleum (40%) and Det Norske (47%).

Hurricane Exploration discovered oil at its Lancaster prospect on Block 205/21a in the UK sector of the North Sea, West of Shetlands. Light oil flowed to the surface while drilling from basement reservoirs. Hurricane has a 100% interest in the block.

Marathon Petroleum Norge successfully completed its 24/9-9 Marihone well in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. Pay was found in Paleocene Hermod sandstone reservoirs in a location about 17 mi south of Alvheim Field in PL340, Block 24/9. The well was drilled to a 7,218-ft TD. Marathon Petroleum Norge operates with 65% interest in partnership with ConocoPhillips Scandinavia (20%), and Lundin Petroleum (15%).