An oil discovery by Tecpetrol Colombia has been reported on the first of a nine-well exploratory well campaign on the CPO-6, CPO-7, and CPO-13 blocks in the Llanos basin of Colombia.

PetroNova Inc., Calgary, which holds 20% working interest in the three blocks operated by Tecpetrol, said the Puerto Gaitan-1 well went to a total depth of 6,400 ft, and mud log and petrophysical interpretation identified the presence of hydrocarbons in the upper sands of the Mirador formation and in the lower and middle C7 sands of the Carbonera formation.

The well flowed at a rate of 367 b/d of 23.4° gravity oil on a 27-hr production test of the objective lower C7 sand of Carbonera. Production tests in the Mirador formation yielded formation water with traces of oil in the upper sands. Deeper Cretaceous and Paleozoic sands were also tested, yielding formation water.

Tecpetrol will complete Puerto Gaitan-1 in the C7 sand and perform an extended production test after Ministry of Mines & Energy permits are obtained.

Two more wells are to be drilled on CPO-6 followed by three wells each on CPO-7 and CPO-13.