Indonesia
TotalFinaElf plans a 22% hike in upstream investment in Indonesia this year to maintain gas production.
The $1.1 billion outlay this year is aimed at Peciko and Tunu fields on the Mahakam production-sharing contract in East Kalimantan, which average 2.4 bcfd of gas, OPEC News Agency reported.
The company has shown interest in 11 blocks the country offered for tender in January. They include 5 in East Java, 1 in north central Java, 2 in North Bali, 2 in Jambi province on Sumatra, and 2 in East Kalimantan.
A company spokesman said TotalFinaElf hopes for a clear ruling from the government on how the output of the blocks would be handled.
Pakistan
MOL Hungarian Oil & Gas PLC, Budapest, reported a gas-condensate discovery in a remote, rugged area of northern Pakistan.
Manzalai-1 is in Northwest Frontier Province 42 miles west of undeveloped Chanda field and 45 miles southwest of Kohat (OGJ, July 13, 1998, p. 85). Cretaceous zones tested as follows:
At 3,895-3,945 m, 19.4 MMcfd of gas and 229 b/d of condensate at 2,400 psi flowing wellhead pressure on a 36/64 in. choke.
At 3,687-3,700 m, 6.8 MMcfd of gas and 51 b/d of condensate at 1,125 psi on a 32/64 in. choke. A third zone was to be tested.
Interests are MOL, operator, 10%, Oil & Gas Development Co. Ltd. and Pakistan Petroleum Ltd. 30% each, Pakistan Oilfields Ltd. 25%, and the government 5%.
OGDC has been testing the Chanda-1 and Chanda Deep-1 discovery wells (OGJ Online, Feb. 15, 2001; OGJ, Dec. 6, 1999, p. 43). It has confirmed Chanda reserves of 18.5 million bbl of oil and 75 bcf of associated gas, said Wood Mackenzie, Edinburgh analyst. Full development is expected this year.
Ukraine
Shelton Canada Corp., Edmonton, Alta., and NSC Chornomornaftogas of Ukraine plan to drill the West Biryuche structure on the northwestern Azov Sea shelf.
The drilling will take place under a comprehensive agreement for the development of oil and gas deposits signed by the companies, which began developing a budgetary and drilling program for the well.
Louisiana
Private McAlester Fuel Co., Houston, has a gas-condensate discovery at the State Lease 1614 No. 2 well off Vermilion Parish, its partners said.
The well reached TVD of 17,500 ft and cut a combined 79 net ft of pay in the Marg. A, N, and O sands, said partners Continental Southern Resources Inc., Bala Cynwyd, Pa., and Touchstone Resources Ltd., Houston.
Numerous other pay sands are being evaluated. Casing is being run to depth and cemented, and well completion is expected in March. Production will begin immediately upon completion. The discovery in Vermilion Bay is several miles due south of Redfish Point field, where six wells produce gas from O sand.
The O and A sands appear on 3D seismic data to be present on more than 70% of the 5,000 acres in which CSR and Touchstone hold interests.
"We have shallow bright spots to drill on the northern portion of the acreage and 3,000 acres of closure at the deeper Siph. Davisi interval, which we hope to drill this summer," said Mark Bush, Touchstone Resources president.
Mayne & Mertz Inc., private Houston operator, gauged an oil discovery in Calcasieu Parish 5 miles west of Lake Charles.
The 1 Entergy flowed 446 b/d of 37° gravity oil and 1.4 MMcfd of gas on a 16/64 in. choke with 2,175 psi FTP from Oligocene Frio perforated at 9,270-76 ft measured depth, reports Southeastern Oil Review, Jackson, Miss. Bottomhole location is in 16-9s-9w.
The discovery is 9 miles north of East Moss Lake field.
Texas
West-Central
St. Mary Land & Exploration Co., Denver, boosted its interest in the Fort Chadbourne Odom Lime Unit to 99% with the $5.1 million acquisition of Pittencrieff America Inc.'s interest in the unit.
St. Mary has held an interest in the unit, in Coke and Runnels counties, since 1999 and has operated since 2001. The acquired properties produce 1.8 MMcfed.
