New Zealand: Fourth Sidewinder well yields gas

June 23, 2011
TAG Oil Ltd., Vancouver, BC, gauged gas at the stabilized rate of 8.8 MMcfd from the main discovery zone with less than 25% drawdown at the Sidewinder-2 well in New Zealand’s Taranaki basin.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, June 23
– TAG Oil Ltd., Vancouver, BC, gauged gas at the stabilized rate of 8.8 MMcfd from the main discovery zone with less than 25% drawdown at the Sidewinder-2 well in New Zealand’s Taranaki basin.

Sidewinder-2 went to a TD of 5,238 ft, intersecting the main discovery zone and four other oil and gas charged zones of interest totaling 157 ft of net pay. The interpreted pay zones are mainly in the Miocene Mount Messenger formation, and oil shows were encountered in the overlying Miocene Urenui formation.

Gas production is to start in several months from the Sidewinder development on PEP 38748. Exploratory drilling is to resume in September 2011.

Following the Sidewinder-2 test program, the company will begin flow-testing the Cheal-C1 well in Cheal oil and gas field.