Bangladesh
Three state energy companies will develop Begumganj gas field onshore 110 miles southeast of Dhaka, press reports said.
The field, discovered in 1977, has proved reserves of 32 bcf but is thought to have a potential about 12 times that amount with further drilling (see map, OGJ, Apr. 22, 2002, p. 48).
Undertaking the $45 million development are Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration & Production Co. Ltd. (Bapex), Bangladesh Gas Fields Co. Ltd., and Sylhet Gas Fields.
Colombia
Pacific Stratus Energy Ltd., Toronto, reported a possible gas discovery on the 97,279-acre La Creciente block in the Lower Magdalena basin in Sucre Department 100 miles south of Cartagena, Colombia.
The 100% owned La Creciente-1 well went to TD 11,557 ft and encountered gas shows across a gross 642 ft in the Tertiary Cienaga de Oro formation. The company planned to deepen to 11,600 ft, run logs, and conduct tests.
The well is on Pacific Stratus’s Prospect A west of Guepaje gas field, which has produced 92 bcf of gas from Cienaga de Oro since discovery in 1992. The Guepaje-Corozal gas pipeline with more than 45 MMcfd of spare capacity crosses Prospect A.
Falkland Islands
Superimposing 2D seismic data and controlled source electromagnetic surveys have rendered drillable the Ernest, formerly J1, prospect on North Falkland basin License PL024 in the South Atlantic, said Rockhopper Exploration PLC, London.
Ernest is an independent four-way dip closed structure in 160 m of water 100 km from the islands. Areal extent is 2,880 acres, and it is possible to map a larger, somewhat more risky closure around it, the company said.
The surveys also identified a number of encouraging leads on PL023 and PL024, where a 3D seismic survey was to start in late October.
Faroe Islands
No commercial oil or gas volumes were proven at the Brugdan 6104/21-1 well in License 006 in the Atlantic south of the Faroe Islands, said operator Statoil.
The well, drilled to TD 4,201 m in 480 m of water, found only traces of gas. It did reveal useful knowledge about drilling in volcanic subbasalt rock that will be helpful in future exploration off the Faroes, Statoil said.
Brugdan is 70 km northwest of Chevron Corp.-operated Rosebank oil field, a 2004 discovery under development in which Statoil has a 30% interest.
The Faroe authorities plan a third licensing round for autumn 2007.
After applying to drill deeper than the originally planned 3,780 m, Statoil had to abandon the well early due to technical problems.
Participants in the well are Statoil 27.15%, DONG 21.91%, Anadarko Petroleum Corp. 13%, Shell-Enterprise Oil 12.47%, Hess Corp. 11.09%, BG Group 10.31%, Faroe Petroleum 4.04%, and Atlantic Petroleum 0.03%.
Morocco
A group led by the Heyco Maroc affiliate of Harvey E. Yates Co., Roswell, NM, planned to spud the Menadra-1 wildcat on the Moulay Bousselham permit onshore in northern Morocco at the end of October 2006.
Projected to 1,620 m, the well will test a thrusted anticlinal structure tentatively assigned as Cretaceous in age. It is predicted to penetrate a thrust plane and test the unknown stratigraphy of the subthrust section, said 36% interest holder Stratic Energy Corp., Calgary.
Regional oil-source correlations along trend indicate a mixed Jurassic and Silurian source for hydrocarbons.
“The structural position along strike from the abandoned Ain Hamra shallow oil field and the presence of an active seep provides confidence that an active and oil prone source is present,” Stratic said.
Working interests are Heyco 39% and US Enercorp Maroc 25%.
Pakistan
Jura Energy Corp., Calgary, said its joint venture with local partner, Petroleum Exploration (Pvt.) Ltd., signed a seismic data acquisition contract with the Oil & Gas Engineering Co. of the Sichuan Petroleum Administration (SPA) to explore for oil and gas in various parts of Sindh Province.
SPA will acquire 600 line-km of 2D seismic data on five exploration licenses, Mirpur Mathelo, Kandra (Lower Goru), Salam, Badin IV North, and Badin IV South, and the Kandra (SML) development lease.
All of the blocks are in the Middle and Lower Indus gas basin. Jura holds 37.5 to 50% participating interest in each block.
SPA will mobilize its crew from China to Pakistan within 60 days, and all seismic surveys have been estimated to be completed within 8-12 months from the contract award.
Gulf of Mexico
Petsec Energy Ltd., Sydney, reported a gas discovery at the first well of a three-well program in Gulf of Mexico federal waters south of Mobile Bay.
Operated by Royal Exploration Co., private Corpus Christi independent, the Mobile Block 951-1 well in 67 ft of water went to TD 3,050 ft MD and cut 18 ft of net gas pay. It was being cased and will be suspended for future completion and tie-in to production facilities (OGJ Online, Oct. 10, 2006).
The program’s second well is to spud at the end of October on adjoining Mobile Block 950. Reserves target is 4-8 bcfe, Petsec said.
Oregon
Brownstone Ventures Inc., Toronto, plans to buy a 2% participating interest from Savant Resources LLC, private Denver independent, in 366,973 net acres in the Columbia River basin in Oregon for $1.7 million.
Savant owns rights and interests in and to an undivided 75% interest in the leasehold that runs for 10 years, making Brownstone’s interest 1.5%.
Savant and Brownstone will enter into an area of mutual interest agreement that expires on June 30, 2009, covering the area that surrounds the Columbia River basin project.
EnCana Corp., Calgary, is drilling and evaluating three planned 14,000-ft wells in Grant and Yakima counties, Washington. They are the Anderville Farms-1, Anderson 11-5, and the upcoming Brown-7.
The wells represent a significant industry commitment to establish commercial natural gas production in the expanding Pacific Northwest and West Coast energy markets, Brownstone said.