PetroMagdalena Energy Corp., Toronto, has started production from its Azor field discovery well while continuing to explore the Arrendajo block in Colombia’s Llanos basin.

Azor-1X, placed on production Jan. 31 from the C5 sand, made 1,181 b/d of 35.5° gravity oil with .3% water cut at 270 psi wellhead flowing pressure on a 20/64-in. choke, natural, for 12 hr. With choke size then reduced to 16/64-in., the well stabilized at 870 b/d at 290 psi and .3% water cut for 6 days.

PetroMagdalena is drilling toward a projected total depth of 7,022 ft measured depth at the Arrendajo Norte-1X well, spudded Jan. 28. Site is 3 km north of the Azor discovery well. PetroMagdalena has 67.5% working interest subject to ANH approval in the Arrendajo block, just north of the Cubiro block.

Meanwhile, the company has set 7-in. production casing at the Cernicalo-1ST well on the Cubiro block and will test the Guadalupe and C7 Carbonera formations. TD is 6,792 ft. PetroMagdalena has 70% working interest in Cubiro.

On the Santa Cruz block in the Catatumbo basin, PetroMagdalena has set 9-5/8-in. intermediate casing at 9,533 ft measured depth at the Santa Cruz-1X exploratory well adjacent to Rio Zulia oil field and drilled to 10,580 ft. TD is expected before the end of February.