Australia
Norwest Energy is about to engage in an important Timor Sea exploration program in 2000, beginning with appraisal of undeveloped Puffin oil field on Permit AC/P22.
Following that well, it will participate in the Phillips Petroleum Australia-operated Coleraine 1 wildcat on Timor Gap Permit ZOCA 96-16. Drill site of that wildcat is just south of Elang-Kakatua producing oil field.
Norwest has a 20% and a 14% interest in these permits, respectively.
Colombia
Petrobras Colombia Ltd. and partners plan to drill three more horizontal wells this year on the Espinal Block in the Upper Magdalena Valley.
Venganza 4H, first horizontal well in Matachin field on the block, flowed 7,000 b/d of 28° gravity oil, natural, from Cretaceous Guadalupe at 7,875 ft TVD. The well had a 2,198-ft horizontal extension. CMS Oil & Gas Co. has a 15% working interest.
Gulf of Mexico
Spinnaker Exploration Co., Houston, plans to start production by Oct. 1 from a gas discovery operated by Ranger Oil Co., Houston, in 80 ft of water on North Padre Island Block 883 about 40 miles south-southeast of Corpus Christi.
Spinnaker will operate drilling, development, and production of the state waters discovery, which confirmed a large structural closure and found multiple productive sands above 11,836 ft TVD.
The well had mechanical problems, including a substantial underground flow of gas, Spinnaker said. It is being temporarily abandoned and will be completed from gas sands above 8,557 ft TVD.
The lower pays will not be completed in this well due to the mechanical problems.
A second well was to spud immediately to more fully evaluate and partly develop the deeper sands encountered in the No. 1 well and to test all of the original objectives of the prospect to a depth of 13,500 ft TVD.
Interests are Ranger 35% and Spinnaker and Houston Exploration Co. 30% each.
