Griffiths Energy eyes southern Chad oil production start

Jan. 29, 2013
Griffiths Energy International Inc., Calgary, said it could begin pipeline shipments of oil from wells in southern Chad in the third quarter of 2013.

Griffiths Energy International Inc., Calgary, said it could begin pipeline shipments of oil from wells in southern Chad in the third quarter of 2013.

Oil production from the Badila and Mangara discoveries could begin in the second quarter, the company said (see map, OGJ, June 4, 2012, p. 44).

Griffiths Energy has executed an interconnection agreement that addresses physical access to the 250,000 b/d COTCO/TOTCO oil pipeline from southern Chad to Kribi, Cameroon. The company also secured 111 km of pipeline right-of-way to connect Badila and Mangara fields to the export pipeline.

Connection to the export pipeline is on schedule to be completed and commissioned in the second quarter of 2013.

The company said it expects to have enough information to review the reserves potential of the Cretaceous light oil in Badila field in mid-2013 when it will have data from the Badila-2 and 3 wells, 3D seismic over Badila field, and an estimated 2 months production from the Badila-1, 2, and 3 wells.

The company reentered Badila-1 in May 2012 and declared it a discovery after it accessed 23.5 m of net oil pay in Cretaceous C sands and achieved constrained test flow rates of as much as 4,025 b/d.

Earlier this month the company completed Badila-2, drilled to 2,075 m, which logs indicate cut 101 m of net oil pay in five Lower Cretaceous C sands, 92 m in eight Lower Cretaceous D sands, and 2.5 m in Lower Cretaceous E sands. Griffiths Energy spudded Badila-3, projected to 2,110 m, in late January.

Griffiths Energy expects to commission the Badila production facility, including tie-in of the Badila-1 and 2 wells, in February 2013. The company let a contract for a 300 sq km 3D seismic survey over Badila field and the adjacent Bitanda ridge.

One rig is drilling, and the company expects to mobilize two more in 2013.

Civil work continues toward development drilling at Mangara field, 95 km northwest of Badila. Wellsites for the Mangara-4 and 5 development wells are complete. A prior operator drilled three wells at Mangara between 1978 and 2007, each of which encountered oil in multiple stacked reservoirs. The wells were flow tested at 300-1,875 b/d. Griffiths reentered one well in March 2012 and achieved a natural flow rate of 800 b/d.

The pipeline connection consists of two segments. One is a 16-km line to connect the company’s Badila blending and export terminal to the COTCO/TOTCO line. Right-of-way clearing and pipeline stringing is under way, and the line is expected to be completed and commissioned in the first quarter of 2013.

The other segment is 95 km of oil and gas pipelines from Mangara field to the blending and export terminal. Right of way is being cleared, and the oil pipeline is on schedule to be completed and commissioned in the second quarter of 2013.

A modification agreement that addresses modifications required to the export pipeline to transport Badila and Mangara crudes has been executed by TOTCO and Griffiths and approved by COTCO’s board and awaits COTCO’s signature.

Griffiths Energy’s production sharing contracts on 26,103 sq km in two basins.