Algeria
TotalFinaElf SA obtained an exploration permit on Blocks 325a-329 in the Timimoun basin of central Algeria. The permit covers 13,250 sq km.
TotalFinaElf is operator with 85% interest, and Cia. Espanola de Petroleos SA of Spain has 15%. The companies plan to conduct 2D and 3D seismic surveys and drill three wells.
Austria
Rohoel-Aufsuchungs AG, Vienna, let a contract for a 530 sq km 3D seismic survey in northwestern Austria.
Deutsche Montan Technologie GmbH, Essen, will acquire the data on the northern edge of the Austrian Alps east of Voecklabruck, between Salzburg and Linz, within 8 months.
The crew includes nine vibrator trucks among a total 40 vehicles. Geophones are spread along 12 parallel lines in 2 m grids. A total of 72,000 geophones are used in 6,000 geophone groups placed at line intervals of 150 m.
China
CNOOC Ltd. completed two successful independent appraisal wells in Liaodong Bay, northern Bohai Sea.
LD 4-2-1, drilled near the LD 4-2 discovery made by wildcat SZ 36-1W-2 earlier, flowed 1,000 b/d of 24-26° gravity oil on two drillstem tests. It is 5 km southwest of SZ 36-1 oil field (see map, OGJ, Dec. 17, 2001, p. 59).
LD 5-2-1, 2 km west of SZ 36-1 field, appraised the LD 5-2 discovery made by wildcat SZ 36-1-11. LD5-2-1 flowed more than 200 b/d of 14.7-16° gravity crude on drillstem tests.
Cuba
Production from western Block 7 reached 15,000 b/d of oil with the latest well test, that of Canasi-6.
Canasi-6 produced 3,500-4,500 b/d of oil in early tests, said Pebercan Inc., Montreal. Wellbore length is 3,745 m, 1,572 m of which penetrated three hydrocarbon pools. Further tests were in progress at Canasi-6, and the partners spudded Canasi-7.
Indonesia
Kumoco Energy Ltd., London, acquired the 75% exploration interest held by Greka Energy Corp., New York City, in the 1.275-million-acre Jatiluhur Block in West Java.
The unexplored block is near several oil and gas fields, and its 500,000-acre Jonggol area contains two prospects and 11 leads.
Greka retained a $4 million production payment and 5% overriding royalty interest. It acquired the interest in the 1999 acquisition of Saba Petroleum Co.
Iran
Hydrosearch Group, Woking, Surrey, England, plans to complete in third quarter 2002 a 16-month study of rehabilitation of giant Parsi (Paris) field in the Zagros foothills of southwestern Iran.
Hydrosearch and its Iranian partner, Kanaz Engineering, are producing a full description of the field and will undertake a simulation study that will allow options for development to be reviewed and a full development plan produced.
Parsi field produces 34° gravity oil from Cretaceous Asmari (see table, OGJ, May 2, 1994, p. 99). Recent production figures are not available.
Philippines
Shell Philippines Exploration BV took a farmout on the 1.3-million-acre Geophysical Survey and Exploration Contract 99 offshore east of northern Palawan Island.
The northern Sulu Sea block, held since November 2000 by South China Resources Inc., Manila, lies south of the gas pipeline from Shell-ChevronTexaco's deepwater Malampaya gas field to Batangas, southern Luzon Island.
The tract is on the Mindoro-Cuyo platform, at 27 million acres the Philippines' largest basin. The block is believed to be in shallow and deep water. Water depths were not available at press time.
Ras al Khaimah
Novus Petroleum Ltd., Sydney, obtained 100% interest in a 600 sq km onshore exploration block in the northernmost emirate. Novus said it will draw from its experience as operator of Oman's only offshore production, Bukha field, where it has identified a play fairway that runs south of the Jebel Akhdar mountains into Oman.
With addition of the Ras al Khaimah block and Oman blocks 17, 47, 15, and 31, Novus holds acreage along the entire length of the play system.
Novus said the Northern Arabian Peninsula gas-condensate play "has historically been recognized as prospective for sizable wet gas accumulations but until recently was underexplored due to the lack of demand for gas in the region. Unlike 20 years or even 5 years ago, there is now a valuable domestic gas market in the region." The block does not include the emirate's total land area.
Gulf of Mexico
The Minerals Management Service started up an online ordering system that allows companies to research oil and gas well logs online; the information can also downloaded onto a customized CD-ROM for $15.
About 170,000 well logs with run dates of December 1995 and earlier are available to the public. The logs are scanned in raster format (TIFF images) and include 1-in. and 5-in. induction, neutron density, formation density, and dipmeter logs. The information is on the MMS website (www.gomr.mms. gov). Paper copies of online well logs will not be available after August.
J.M. Huber Corp., Houston, said the West Cameron 248 A-10 sidetrack well in West Cameron Block 237 field flowed 4 MMcfd of gas and cut 104 ft of pay in the DJ sand. Huber said this was the second successful well this year in that field.
The first well, 248 A-1 sidetrack, flowed 4 MMcfd and cut 45 ft of pay in the EJ sand. Huber operates the field with 44% interest. Other participants are Comstock Resources Inc., Frisco, Tex., and Pierce Junction Petroleum Inc.