India
Oilex NL, Sydney, plans to drill wells and may acquire 3D seismic data as a buildup to possibly redeveloping the western high of Cambay oil and gas field in Gujarat.
The objective Oligocene OS II horizon on the western high only is estimated to have 29 million bbl of oil and 34 bcf of gas in place, with a low to high range for oil of 13 to 84 million bbl.
Cambay field was discovered in 1957, and the majority of its 60 wells have been shut-in for years because of sand or water incursion or downhole equipment problems (see map, OGJ, Mar. 14, 2005, p. 38). A few wells are producing oil intermittently, Oilex said.
Reservoir rocks occur throughout the Tertiary section in the Eocene, Oligocene, and Miocene, and the first phase wells are to be drilled as deep as 1,900 m to thoroughly evaluate these intervals, Oilex said.
Oilex with 45% interest operates Cambay field for a joint venture. It acquired interests in Cambay, Bhandut, and Sabarmati fields from Niko Resources Ltd., Calgary, for $5.49 million. The other fields are also redevelopment candidates.
Indonesia
Three companies purchased ExxonMobil Corp.’s interests in the North Sumatra Block A onshore PSC.
The block has undeveloped discoveries at Alur Siwah, Alur Rambong, and Julu Rayeu fields certified as holding more than 650 bcf of proved and probable gas and 20 prospects with 1.5 tcf of prognosed hydrocarbons.
Premier Oil PLC, London, PT Medco Energi, Jakarta, and Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. Ltd., Tokyo, each acquired one third of ExxonMobil’s 50% working interest. ConocoPhillips operates the block with 50% working interest.
Nicaragua
Norwood Resources Ltd., Vancouver, BC, was acquiring a large 2D seismic survey in early 2006 on the northern part of the Oklanicsa concession along Nicaragua’s Pacific Coast southwest of Managua.
The company plans to use the data to confirm the presence of several large structures identified with geological surface mapping.
Norwood Resources let a contract to F.J. Brown & Associates, Houston, to begin well planning, drilling services bid preparations, and in-country support evaluations.
The concession, which extends to the border with Costa Rica, covers 845,780 acres on the eastern flank of the Sandino basin.
Norwood Resources’ initial interest was in potential reservoirs in the Oligo-Miocene Masachapa and Middle Eocene Brito formations in the San Cayetano area that demonstrate slope facies channel sands and turbidite interbedded sand facies.
Industrias Oklahoma-Nicaragua is operator with 30% interest, and Norwood Resources has 70%.
Virginia
Range Resources Corp., Fort Worth, plans to drill 260 wells this year in Nora and Haysi coalbed methane fields in western Virginia, up from 175 wells in 2005.
Production is up 57% to 23.2 MMcf since the company acquired the properties in late 2004, and as many as 2,700 locations remain to be drilled assuming 60-acre spacing.
Range Resources is also testing emerging CBM plays at Widen field in West Virginia and four areas in Pennsylvania where, assuming success, as many as 1,300 locations remain on currently held acreage.