Coastal Energy developing Songkhla off Thailand

Oct. 13, 2008
Coastal Energy Co has kicked off a four-well development drilling at Songkhla field on Block G5/43, Gulf of Thailand, where it plans to commence production by yearend.

By an OGJ correspondent
BANGKOK, Oct. 13 -- Coastal Energy Co has kicked off a four-well development drilling at Songkhla field on Block G5/43, Gulf of Thailand, where it plans to commence production by yearend.

The company last week spudded the first well, Songkhla A-01, which was programmed to 8,500 ft total TVD. Well testing is expected to begin before the end of this month.

The well is a direct offset to the original Songkhla-1 well, which was drilled in 1988 and tested at 1,500 b/d from 80 ft of net oil pay in the Lower Oligocene formation.

Coastal said a report prepared by Huddleston and Co. estimated the proved and probable reserves in the main Songkhla feature to be 4.9 million bbl.

Coastal CEO Randy Bartley said the company expects completion and testing of Songkhla A-01 by late this month and an extended production test while continuing simultaneous drilling operations.

The jack up rig Deep Driller 7, operated by Deep Drilling 7 Pte. Ltd., is drilling the Songkla wells.

Block G5/43 is wholly owned by Coastal. Two oil fields in the block are currently under development.