By the OGJ Online Staff
HOUSTON, May 1 -- Amerada Hess Corp., New York City, Tuesday said an appraisal well it drilled in the York area of the southern North Sea could tap up to 200 billion cu ft of probable gas reserves.
Amerada Hess said the well tested 24.7 MMcfd from day from a Rotliegend Leman sand, which it said was "a good quality and productive reservoir.''
The appraisal well tested a discovery first made in 1991. Amerada Hess said that with its partner, CalEnergy Gas (UK) Ltd., which owns rights to 8.5% of the York oil field's reserves, it will now analyze the data acquired during the drilling and testing to determine how the reserves can be developed and brought to market.
CalEnergy is an affiliate of Des Moines, Iowa-based MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co.
The well was drilled with the Glomar Adriatic VI. York field is predominantly in Block 47/3a, about 40 km southeast of Flamborough Head off the coast of Yorkshire and 8 km north of the existing Rough gas field facilities.
Nick Fairbrother, managing director of Amerada Hess Ltd., said, "Amerada Hess is delighted to have confirmed potentially commercial flow rates and reserves from the York area, which hitherto has been a dormant discovery. We hope to be able to bring this gas to market swiftly."