The Canadian Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development is inviting bids on six blocks in the Central Mackenzie Valley. The blocks cover 482,443 hectares. The call for bids will close Sept. 17. The criterion for selection is the amount of money the bidder proposes to spend over the first period of the exploration license.
The National Iranian Oil Co. has selected Ensign Geophysics Ltd., Addlestone, Surrey, UK, to process two 3D and two 2D land seismic surveys. The 3D surveys cover Abteymur and Shadegan fields in the province of Khuzestan in southwestern Iran. One of the 2D surveys is over the Dasht-e-Moghan area of northwestern Iran, and the other is in the Latidan-Bandar Abbas area of southern Iran.
Peruvian company Geopet Asociades SA has signed an 18-month technical evaluation agreement with Perupetro, the state oil agency of Peru, to evaluate Block 18, which covers 105,845 hectares between Tumbes and Trigal. Geopet will promote the block after completing technical studies.
The Venezuelan Energy and Mines ministry has preselected 34 private Venezuelan and foreign companies to participate in the public tender of 11 exploration blocks. The companies were not named. Bids will be opened June 28-29 (OGJ Online, Apr. 24, 2001).
The Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates the Texas oil and gas industry, will hold an oil and gas permitting and production educational seminar June 13-14. The seminar will promote overall understanding of forms, procedures, and filing requirements.
Goodrich Petroleum Corp., Houston, has discoveries on its Troon and Huxley prospects in Louisiana and Texas respectively. At Troon prospect, Rigolets No. B-1 was drilled directionally to 12,166 ft MD. Goodrich found 74 ft of net pay in two sands. Goodrich owns 49%. At Huxley prospect, a horizontal James Lime test is producing 2.5 MMcfd from a 12/64-in. choke with 2,000 psi flowing tubing pressure. Goodrich owns 17%.
Ivanhoe Energy Inc. and Aera Energy LLC have decided to drill the Northwest Lost Hills No. 1 exploration well in 22-25s-20e. The well will be spudded in the third quarter. It will be drilled on the sub-thrust structure adjacent to the East Lost Hills field to a total depth below 20,000 feet into the Temblor formation. Ivanhoe Energy and Aera jointly own a 6,300-acre exploration block close to the shallow Lost Hills oil field and on trend to the deep gas discoveries. The working interests are 47% Ivanhoe and 53% Aera.
Esenjay Exploration Inc., Corpus Christi, Tex., said the Corzine No. 1 well in the deep geopressured Wilcos Trend in Live Oak County, Tex., penetrated the Third Tom Lyne sand and is producing 10 MMcfd of gas and 7 b/d of condensate with flowing tubing pressure of 7,125 psi. Esenjay expects the well to stabilize at 5-7.5 MMcfd of gas. Esenjay operates with 28.375%; Ocean Energy Inc. owns 55.187%; and Swift Energy Co., 7.5%. Private companies hold the rest.
Gulf Canada Resources Ltd. said the Bandol-1 well in the French territorial waters off the East Coast of Canada was a dry hole.