Australia
TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Co. and Veritas DGC Inc. began a project to acquire and process 1,500 sq km of nonexclusive 3D seismic data in the Barrow sub-basin off western Australia.
Acquisition on the Flinders survey is to be complete by July 1.
The survey will image Lower Cretaceous sandstones and other prospective stratigraphic intervals in the sub-basin, which is part of the Carnarvon basin, Australia's top hydrocarbon producing region, TGS-NOPEC said.
It noted that oil and gas production there have increased steadily since 1985, that all major Australian E&P companies and many small and medium sized independents operate there, and that the area continues to experience high levels of exploration.
Cuba
Repsol YPF, Madrid, signed an agreement with Cuba on oil exploration off the Cuban coast, Cuban press reports said.
Cuba has been trying to interest international companies in licensing blocks in the eastern Gulf of Mexico (OGJ, Dec. 11, 2000, p. 42). One official said details of the contract with Repsol would become available later in January.
Cuban radio said the pact between Repsol and state Cupet also calls for joint refining, marketing, and electricity production. The refinery at Cienfuegos, about 300 km southeast of Havana, would be overhauled as part of the agreement.
Falkland Islands
The government agreed to transfer the well commitment on Tranche F to a seismic commitment, said Desire Petroleum PLC, London. The group led by Lundin Oil AB plans 118 km of seismic on Tranche C, 132 km on Tranche L, 500 km on Tranche F, and 1,250 km on open acreage. Veritas began acquisition on Dec. 30, 2000.
India
Cairn Energy PLC, Edinburgh, is considering development options for a second oil and gas find on Block CB-OS/2 off Gujurat, western India.
Two zones in the Ambe discovery, made via exploration well CB-C-1, flowed 41 MMcfd of gas. A third zone flowed oil at rates varying from 150-500 b/d. Testing of two other zones was inconclusive.
The gas is dry methane with no CO2 or H2S, and the crude is 25° gravity with low GOR of 120 scf/st-tk bbl.
The company plans to acquire 3D seismic data starting this month to delineate Ambe and the nearby, 300-400 bcf Lakshmi find. Cairn hopes to firm up its gross reserves estimates at Ambe, which are 50-200 bcf of gas equivalent, through appraisal drilling in the first quarter.
Indonesia
Unocal Corp. and Lasmo PLC gauged a gas and oil discovery on the Ranggas prospect on the southern Rapak production sharing contract off East Kalimantan.
Ranggas-1 in the Kutei basin cut 250 ft of gas pay and 40 ft of oil pay at undisclosed levels. The well, drilled to 11,845 ft in 5,303 ft of water in the Makassar Strait, is 28 miles southeast of West Seno, Indonesia's first deepwater field.
Mexico
The Burgos basin in northeastern Mexico could contain an undeveloped resource of 21 to 75 tcf of gas, said Gas Technology Institute, Arlington, Va.
Newly developed information indicates that previous estimates for Burgos, an extension of US Gulf Coast geologic trends south of the Rio Grande River, may be conservative, GTI said.
The institute released a study that showed drilling success rates are nearly 100% in Burgos and that production could reach 2.3 bcfd by 2015.
Nigeria
Agip SPA's Nigerian E&P arm will be producing 450,000 b/d within 3 years, up from 200,000 b/d in 2000 and 150,000 b/d in 1999.
The new level would make Agip the country's third largest oil producer, OPEC News Agency reported.
Agip started up Biseni and Nibe fields, reopened the Idu flow station, and hiked production at Beniboye and Kwale fields, said Managing Director Claudio Descalzi.
Descalzi said Agip launched a plan to comply with the government's program to eliminate gas flaring and began an independent power project to help reduce electricity blackouts. Other developments included the start of work at Abo field by Nigeria Agip Exploration, the award of deepwater Block 244, and the renewal of Agip Energy and Natural Resources' operating licenses for 20 years.
Mississippi
The state granted PetroQuest Energy Inc., Lafayette, a one year test period without allowable restrictions at a rare completion in Tuscaloosa marine shale.
The H1 Lambert, in 53-1n-3e, Amite County, flowed 54 b/d of 39.8° gravity oil on a 5/64 in. choke with 900 psi FTP from a horizontal liner at 13,614-14,630 ft MD. TVD is 12,268-390 ft, reports Southeast- ern Oil Review, Jackson.
