BP Trinidad & Tobago has reported that four of the five exploration wells it will be drilling in the Columbus basin off the Caribbean twin-island nation’s east coast have been aided by the ocean-bottom cable seismic (OBCS) data it acquired in 2013.
BPTT added that it is now shooting Phase 2 of the OBCS, which will run until March. The survey area is 423 sq km under existing Teak and Poui fields. Teak, Samman, and Pouis were giant oil fields that, in the early 1980s, produced more than 100,000 bo/d.
Andre Celestain, BPTT vice-president, operations, said, “There are small pool opportunities within existing fields and future new field developments, and we are using the data from the OBCS to help unlock these opportunities.”
Development of Angelin field was fast-tracked because of the results of the data provided by the OBCS, and four out of the five opportunities BPTT have identified followed from interpretation of the OBCS, Celestain said.
The OBCS, which used independent simultaneous source (ISS) technology, was the first time that BPTT used ISS outside of a test environment. ISS uses multiple vessels to collect data, making the process more complex but with the potential for improved seismic imaging. The OBCS allows for better definition of reflectors, faults, and imaging deep and below shallow gas.
Celestine said the Savannah exploration well is being drilled relatively close to Juniper field and, if successful, may be produced from Juniper.
Celestain said BPTT’s exploration program will continue this year with the Savannah well, which is 6 km southeast of Juniper in 500 ft of water.
The firm proposes drilling its Macadamia well in the second quarter. Macadamia will be drilled in 274 ft of water, Celestain said.
Celestine said BPTT is expected to deliver an additional 160,000 boe in 2017, or 20% of parent firm BP PLC’s global growth. This will be achieved by the coming on stream of an additional 775 MMscfd of natural gas as a result of the TROC and Juniper projects.
The Columbus basin is a prolific oil and gas province with more than 1 billion bbl of light, sweet crude already being produced. BPTT is estimated to have more than 13 tcf of proved reserves in the basin, having already produced more than 8 tcf of gas from the area.
BPTT has said that its OBCS has attracted interest throughout BP because of the technology being used and the quality of the data and would help BP to plan and carry out similar surveys in other operating areas.
