Gabon
A group led by Vaalco Energy Inc., Houston, made a potentially commercial oil discovery on the eastern flank of the Ebouri prospect on the 3,073 sq km Etame Marin block offshore.
Ebouri-1 and a horizontal sidetrack both logged 48 ft of net oil pay in Gamba sandstone, the reservoir in Etame field. Ebouri is 7 miles northwest of Etame.
Vaalco plans another sidetrack or well to delineate the prospect, and if commercial the discovery likely could be tied back to Etame facilities in about a year. Etame, producing 15,000 b/d, has 25,000-30,000 b/d of design capacity. Vaalco is to drill an Etame development well in the second quarter of 2004 to boost production above 20,000 b/d. The consortium has one more exploration well commitment on the block, also to be drilled in the second quarter.
Working interests are Vaalco 28.07%, PanAfrican Energy Gabon Corp. 31.36%, Sasol Petroleum West Africa 27.75%, Energy Africa Gabon 7.5%, Energy Resources Japan Etame (Gabon) Ltd. 2.98%, and PetroEnergy Resources Corp. 2.34%.
India
Canoro Resources Ltd., Calgary, received final government approval for operatorship and a 60% participating interest in the 53 sq km Amguri development field production sharing contract.
Canoro is developing plans to exploit and explore the block in Assam.
Texas
Gulf Coast
Carrizo Oil & Gas Inc., Houston, said the 2 Beachhouse, a follow-up exploratory well in Chambers County, is an apparent discovery and should begin producing to sales by late January 2004.
The well, drilled to TD 12,350 ft, indicated 41 ft of apparent net pay on logs in Oligocene Vicksburg. Completion operations are under way. Carrizo is operator with 25% working interest.