Eric Watkins
OGJ Oil Diplomacy Editor
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 20 -- Petroleo Brazileiro SA (Petrobras) and Karoon Gas Australia Ltd. found 38° gravity oil and associated gas in the Tertiary post-salt section at the Maruja-1 exploratory well on the BM-S-41 concession in the Santos basin off Brazil.
Karoon said Petrobras achieved an equipment-constrained flow rate of 6,142 stb/d through a 5/8-in. choke during the clean-up flow period. In the 24-hr main flow period, the high-porosity Oligocene sandstone reservoir stabilized at 4,675 stb/d of oil and 800 Mcfd of gas on a 1/2-in. choke with 1,050 psia flowing wellhead pressure.
Test interval at the well is 2,201.5-2,210 m. Total depth is 3,789 m. The wellsite is 16 km southeast of the Petrobras Tiro and Sidon discoveries, which are on extended well test in similar geology.
Petrobras operates the block with an 80% stake, while Karoon holds a 20% stake subject to approval by Brazil’s Agencia Nacional do Petroleo.
Analyst IHS Global Insight said Petrobras earlier indicated it hopes the new find can form part of a new production pole in the southwestern Santos basin along with the Caravela, Cavalo Marinho, Coral, Tiro, and Sidon discoveries.
Petrobras announced the Maruja find last November when it said it discovered light oil in sandstone reservoirs in an exploratory well in Block S-M-1352 of the BM-S-41 concession (OGJ Online, Nov. 16, 2010).
Contact Eric Watkins at [email protected].
Dreamstime | © Charles Montgomery.
Photo from SABIC Limburg BV.
