By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Dec. 13 -- ChevronTexaco Latin America Upstream's Plataforma Deltana Loran 3X exploration well on Block 2 off Venezuela encountered six gas sands having total gross thickness of 755 ft, parent ChevronTexaco Corp. reported.
The well tested more than 55 MMscfd from two intervals. A gas sand previously not encountered on the block flowed 35 MMscfd of that total. The well, drilled in 345 ft of water, reached 9,976 ft TMD. ChevronTexaco, with 60% interest, operates Block 2 in partnership with ConocoPhillips, 40%.
Loran 3X is ChevronTexaco's second well on the block, southeast of the Petroleos de Venezuela SA's Loran 1X discovery drilled in 1982. Loran 3X extended to the south the five shallow gas sands already discovered in Loran 1X and ChevronTexaco 2X. The sixth sand discovered in Loran 3X is deeper than the others.
The company will drill another exploration well before beginning the next evaluation phase.
The Venezuelan Ministry of Energy and Mines recently awarded ChevronTexaco and PDVSA an exploration license for Plataforma Deltana Block 3, which is on trend with Block 2.