Area Drilling

Aug. 23, 2004
Corsica TGS-Nopec Geophysical Co., Naersnes, Norway, received a nonexclusive, preliminary authorization to run seismic surveys off Corsica in France's Mediterranean waters.

Corsica

TGS-Nopec Geophysical Co., Naersnes, Norway, received a nonexclusive, preliminary authorization to run seismic surveys off Corsica in France's Mediterranean waters.

Called Canal de Corse, the two-year authorization covers 4,170 sq km on France's continental shelf off the Corsican administrative regions of Corse-du-Sud and Haute-Corse, on the Italian side.

Tunisia

A group led by Agip Tunisia BV made a third discovery on the Adam concession in the Ghadames basin near the border with Libya.

The group is also negotiating to start commercial gas production from the concession later this year.

Dalia-1, 13 km from processing facilities, flowed at the rate of 3,600 b/d of 44° gravity oil on a 48/64 in. choke at 1,150 psi flowing wellhead pressure from 11 m of perforations. The well encountered several oil and gas bearing zones throughout the Silurian Acacus A and Tannezuft sandstones at 3,400 m.

Production is to start within weeks, and the rig will move to Hawa field to drill a second production well (OGJ Online, Mar. 8, 2004).

If Tunisia's ETAP participates with 30% interest, group interests will be units of ENI SPA 35%, Pioneer Natural Resources Co. 28%, and Paladin Resources PLC 7%.

Venezuela

Harvest Natural Resources Inc., Houston, said its Harvest Vinccler CA unit completed technical evaluation and a field development plan for Temblador and El Salto fields in eastern Venezuela's Delta Amacuro state.

The company also submitted a formal proposal and started discussions with Petroleos de Venezuela SA for possible acquisition of the rights to redevelop Temblador field and develop El Salto and Isleno fields near Harvest's 158,000-acre South Monagas Unit, where it operates Uracoa, Tucupita, and Bombal fields.

Harvest has two rigs running in Uracoa field that it expects to continue drilling into 2005. It increased its 2004 Uracoa program to 11 development wells and five recompletions that target mainly Oligocene age Oficina sands.

Quebec

Corridor Resources Inc., Halifax, NS, planned to reenter the Chaloupe exploration well on Anticosti Island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in early August and drill a sidetrack hole to test Ordovician Trenton-Black River.

Corridor gave no depths. The 1999 well did not test the formation, but log and sample data "suggest that the fractured and dolomitized porosity may be oil bearing in this zone, and the objective of the reentry is to conduct a drillstem test across the prospective interval to obtain a sample of the reservoir fluid," Corridor said.

A positive test would be encouraging because the structure is large and seismic data show many more similar prospects on the island, the company said. Working interests are Corridor 75% and Hydro-Quebec Petrole et gaz, Montreal, 25%.

Kansas

Syntroleum Corp., a Tulsa gas-to-liquids concern, contracted a rig to begin drilling four wells in August on 42,000 acres it has acquired with 100% working interest on the Central Kansas uplift.

Syntroleum seeks to tap low-BTU gas in what it calls a low-risk exploitation play since previous wells have identified gas on the leased structures.

If successful, the company will produce its own gas and possibly gather gas from others that contains 30-40% nitrogen. Syntroleum has secured the exclusive right to use two inert rejection technologies in different US regions.

The four wells costing a total of $600,000 are to evaluate multiple pay zones at 1,700-2,700 ft. Production of 500 Mcfd/well initially would decline to 200 Mcfd.

A typical project would include a $2.5 million, 2 MMscfd inerts removal plant and gathering lines yielding $1 million/year cash flow. Each plant would require 10-15 wells.

Syntroleum expects to spend $15 million on low BTU projects in the next year assuming successful drilling.

Louisiana

American Natural Energy Corp., Tulsa, Okla., gauged 480 b/d of oil and 600 Mcfd of associated gas on an initial test of the DSCI 148 well on its ExxonMobil Joint Development acreage at Bayou Couba, St. Charles Parish.

The flow, from perforations at 8,510-8,610 ft, was measured on a 10/64 in. choke with 3,450 psi FTP. TD is 8,675 MD. Electric logs indicate possible potential at 7,650-8,450 ft. American Natural's working interest is 41.25%.

Nevada

Empire Petroleum Corp., Tulsa, Okla., applied for a 28,783-acre federal unit in Gabbs Valley, western Nye County, where it is seeking partners to drill a wildcat to 9,000 ft or acquire seismic data with an option to drill.

O.F. Duffield, Siloam Springs, Ark., holds 90% interest and Empire holds 10% in a 44,604-acre block in the area, east of the Monte Cristo Mountains, that extends slightly into Mineral County.

The prospect consists of the Cobble Cuesta surface anticline that measures more than 12 miles long by more than 7 miles wide.

The objectives would include Triassic and Tertiary rocks on the 71,000-acre anticline 70 miles northwest of Tonopah. Empire has results of seismic and surface studies.

A group led by Isern Oil Co., Wichita, and not affiliated with Empire, operated the 1 Gigante wildcat, in 4-12n-35e, Nye County. The only well in the general area, it bottomed at 6,500 ft and has pipe set after encountering oil shows in the Tertiary Esmeralda formation and was waiting on funds for a completion attempt.

The drill site is 120 miles west of nearest oil production in Railroad Valley.

Texas

North

Devon Energy Corp., Oklahoma City, started producing gas from its 100th horizontal well in the Barnett shale in the Fort Worth basin in June 2004.

The company said that more than 20% of its net 555 MMcfe/d of production from the Barnett comes from horizontal wells.

Devon produces gas from more than 1,750 vertical and horizontal wells from this formation.