Colombia
The international unit of Harken Energy Corp., Houston, spudded the Cajaro-1 wildcat on the 82,752-acre Cajaro Association Contract in the Llanos basin east of giant Cusiana and Cupiagua oil and gas fields.
Global Energy Development PLC, 86% held by Harken, is drilling the well to 9,200 ft to the Cretaceous Ubaque formation productive in the Estero-1 and 2 wells in Palo Blanco field just east on Global's Alcaravan Association Contract block (OGJ Online, Sept. 29, 2000). Global holds interest in producing properties and prospects in Colombia and other Latin American countries.
Egypt
IPR Red Sea Ltd. acquired 100% of the stock of Devon Energy International's assets in the Gulf of Suez.
The acquisition included Devon Energy Red Sea Inc. and Devon Energy Suez Inc., owners of the North July and Southwest Gebel El-Zeit concessions, respectively.
A joint venture is to spud a second well in March 2003 on the three-slot platform at North July, which produces 1,500 b/d and 700 Mcfd of gas from the NJ-1 well.
A plan has been submitted to Egyptian General Petroleum Corp. to develop Southwest Gebel El-Zeit, where a discovery flowed 6,700 b/d of oil.
Gross reserves on the two concessions are estimated at 10.6 million bbl proved and 129.6 million bbl proved, probable, and possible.
IPR is a unit of IPR Transoil Corp. and a member of the Improved Petroleum Recovery Group of Cos., Irving, Tex.
Oman
Petroleum Development Oman let a 2-year contract to PGS Reservoir Consultants (UK) Ltd. for engineering studies aimed at halting oil production decline and introducing enhanced oil recovery techniques.
The first project involves stationing a geoscience and reservoir engineering team in Muscat for 18 months to produce updated development plans for three fields in the Qarn Alam area.
New York
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Mineral Resources will accept sealed bids Mar. 27 in Albany for oil and gas leases covering 25,000 acres of state lands in Schuyler and Steuben counties in the southern Finger Lakes region.
Several wells near the parcels have produced more than 1 bcf/year of gas from Ordovician Trenton-Black River, the division said. Bid packages become available Feb. 24.
Texas
Southwest
Comanche-Halsell (6500) field in Maverick County has produced 600,000 bbl of oil since discovery in February 2002, said Exploration Co., San Antonio.
Of 14 wells drilled, seven average 1,750 b/d of oil and 3,600 b/d of water. Five wells are shut-in while alternative completion techniques are evaluated, and two others failed to locate the targeted, high-porosity Glen Rose interval and await sidetrack.
The operator, Saxet Energy LLC, Houston, obtained a surface water discharge permit that will sharply reduce disposal costs, but the water-oil ratio is expected to increase until 2003 drilling begins this month (OGJ, Jan. 13, 2003, p. 42).