Australia
ARC Oil NL, Perth, plans an exploration program in the Perth basin that may require two rigs in the first half of 2004.
The company will pursue oil and gas objectives onshore generally between Dongarra and Beharra Springs gas fields, in which it holds interests. It plans to acquire 3D seismic data in the area.
The company also has interests in Eremia, Hovea, and Jingemia oil fields.
ARC spud the Kingia 1 exploration well Jan. 16 some 9 km southwest of the Hovea production facility on a structure deemed capable of containing 26 million bbl of recoverable oil in Permian Dongara sandstone at 2,300 m. It will also be deepened to 2,800 m to test the High Cliff sandstone, gas productive in the Hovea-2 well.
The company plans to spud the Xyris 1 gas exploration well east of Hovea in the area covered by the Hibbertia 3D seismic survey.
Chechnya
Chechen Republic, despite its precarious security situation, hiked oil production to 36,000 b/d in 2003 from 30,000 b/d in 2002 and nearly doubled gas production to 44 MMcfd.
Still, Chechnya seeks help to repair facilities and revitalize its industry and has specifically made overtures to Saudi Arabian businessmen to invest, OPEC News Agency reported.
OAO Rosneft's Grozneftegaz, which operates existing production in Chechnya, targets 40,000 b/d and 50 MMcfd as 2004 goals. Chechnya's reserves are estimated at 220 million bbl, enough for 15 years of production.
The republic has major problems with theft of crude oil from pipelines and operation of makeshift distillation units, Opecna reported.
Syria
Tanganyika Oil Co. said 2004 plans for Oudeh oil field in northeastern Syria include drilling at least two new wells in the Cretaceous Shiranish reservoir and reentering two wells in the Triassic Kurachine reservoir, all using horizontal drilling techniques.
A workover program is under way that involves one well in the Triassic Butmah reservoir, one in Kurachine, and two in Shiranish.
Thailand
Pacific Tiger Energy Inc., Calgary, plans to introduce horizontal drilling in Wichian Buri oil field on Block L44/43 in the Phetchabun Tertiary basin, central Thailand.
The company let a contract to KCA Deutag, which will use the T-48 rig to drill the N7 and N8 wells starting in mid-February. N8 is prognosed to have as many as five legs. Wichian Buri field is 250 km north of Bangkok and 100 km southeast of giant Sirikit oil field operated by Thai Shell.
Miocene sandstones at 940 m produce 230 b/d of 30° gravity, nonbiodegraded oil with 35% paraffin and a pour point of 42° C. Discovered in 1988, the field went on production in 1995 at about 300 b/d. Si Thep field also produces oil on the block, which contains other discoveries and prospects. Carnarvon Petroleum Ltd., Melbourne, holds 40% interest in the block.
Quebec
Questerre Energy Corp., Calgary, plans to spud the Ste. Sophie-1 exploratory well on the Becancour prospect in the St. Lawrence Lowlands in April 2004.
The well is a hydrothermal dolomite play that targets the Ordovician Trenton-Black River formation at 2,300 m. The prospect, southwest of Quebec City, could contain as much as 650 bcf of recoverable gas, Questerre said.
Gastem Inc., a Montreal junior exploration and production company, will pay $1.58 million or 75% of the well's cost for a 50% interest in the well and 1,000 ha around it. Gastem will have an exclusive rolling option to drill more wells on the same terms for 6 months from the testing of Ste. Sophie-1.
Alabama
An independent has staked three 10,000-ft exploratory tests on the Wiley salt dome in the southeastern Black Warrior basin of northwestern Alabama.
S. Lavon Evans Jr. Operating Co., Laurel, Miss., spotted two tests in 34-17s-9w and one in 3-18s-9w, 25 miles north of Tuscaloosa.
Previous drilling has penetrated below 11,000 ft in the general area, with Ordovician and Cambrian zones topped at 5,700 ft and 7,200 ft, respectively.
Evans is soon to reestablish gas production from Mississippian carbonates at 3,000-4,000 ft in Wiley Dome field with 3 wells to begin deliveries through a 6 mile, 6-in. pipeline to Windham Springs, reports Southeastern Oil Review, Jackson, Miss.
Mississippi
Edge Petroleum Co., Houston, opened Cretaceous James lime oil and gas production in Midway Dome field in Lamar County.
Edge recompleted the 1 Patterson, in 32-4n-15w, flowed 2.7 MMcfd of gas and 230 b/d of oil from James at about 13,800 ft. The well, which Edge acquired with Miller Exploration Co. in 2003, is a former 500 Mcfd gas well from Cretaceous Hosston below 15,000 ft.
Edge is operator with an 82.75% working interest.
North Dakota
Petrosearch Corp., Houston, said its Gruman 18-1 Mississippian Lodgepole reef discovery well in Stark County is producing oil at a rate of more than 1,000 b/d and if maintained will reach payout by late February 2004.
The discovery well, in 18-139n-96w, was initially tested last fall (OGJ Online, Nov. 13, 2003).
The company has spudded the Zastoupil 26-1 as the second in a multiwell project in the Williston basin and expects drilling to reveal drilling results within 30 days.
Pennsylvania
The state department of conservation and natural resources purchased a large tract in a proposed Appalachian wilderness area to promote conservation and foreclose oil and gas drilling.
The DCNR obtained the oil, gas, and mineral rights to 13,600 contiguous acres. Sellers are PPL Corp., Allentown electric generator, and Pennsylvania General Energy, private Warren, Pa., oil and gas operator. The lands are in the proposed 30,253-acre Hammersley Wild Area in Potter County north of State College.
The state already owned the land, but the companies owned the rights to drill under a lease that dated to the 1930s.
Hammersley, in Susquehannock State Forest, consists of 51 sq miles of roadless, wooded valleys. DCNR manages 16 wild areas totaling more than 145,000 acres and plans to acquire 18,000 acres more.
Texas
East
Pogo Producing Co., Houston, said two development wells are planned in 2004 near a Cretaceous Woodbine pay discovery at Seven Oaks gas field in Polk County.
The Davis PDB No. 1 well flowed 926 b/d of oil and 1.3 MMcfd of gas from an undisclosed depth. Pogo's interest is 70%.
