Oil Search-led group continues appraisal of Muruk gas find

June 14, 2017
A group led by Oil Search Ltd. in the Papua New Guinea highlands has reported a successful production test of the Muruk-1ST3 appraisal well, which was drilled southwest of last year’s Muruk-1 natural gas discovery

A group led by Oil Search Ltd. in the Papua New Guinea highlands has reported a successful production test of the Muruk-1ST3 appraisal well, which was drilled southwest of last year’s Muruk-1 natural gas discovery (OGJ Online, Dec. 29, 2016).

Oil Search said there were tubing limitations, but that the well flowed gas at a maximum equipment-constrained rate of 16 MMcfd through a ½-in. choke. Multiple hydrocarbon samples have been collected for further analysis.

The test was taken to assess reservoir productivity and to make sure a number of samples were taken across the gas-saturated Toro sandstone reservoir from 3,968-4,065 m.

The mechanical problems limited the test to a number of short flow and build-up periods over 8 days, but the results confirmed a good reservoir quality with a high deliverability consistent with Toro reservoirs throughout the central Papua New Guinea fold belt.

The well will now be plugged and abandoned with downhole pressure gauges in place to monitor the response of potential future appraisal activity.

Muruk field is 21 km northwest of the Hides processing facilities and immediately north of Juha gas field, all of which derisks the gas prospectivity along the Hides-P’nyang geological trend.

The data from all Muruk wells will now be evaluated to assess the potential gas resources. Follow-up site preparations are being scheduled for late this year ahead of a potential appraisal program in 2018.

Participants are operator Oil Search 37.5%, ExxonMobil Corp. 42.5%, and Santos Ltd. 20%.