By the OGJ Online Staff
HOUSTON, Mar. 4 -- Murphy Sarawak Oil Co. Ltd., a unit of Murphy Oil Co., has completed a three-well exploration and appraisal drilling program on Block SK 309 and neighboring Block SK 311 off Sarawak, Malaysia.
The first of the wells, West Patricia 5, was drilled to 4,068 ft TD and found 138 ft of net oil pay and 23 ft of net natural gas pay and was the last appraisal well to be drilled under the current program, confirming the commercial viability of West Patricia field, Murphy said. West Patricia field was discovered in 2001 with the West Patricia 2 exploration well, which flowed on test at a rate of 2,900 b/d of 37° gravity oil, with a gas:oil ratio of 290:1, from a single zone at 3,021 ft.
"The West Patricia 5 culminates our West Patricia appraisal drilling program by confirming in excess of 30 million bbl of recoverable oil," said Claiborne P. Deming, president and CEO of Murphy. "It is the best well drilled in the field to date, and we are extremely pleased to be on track to have the West Patricia field on production by the first quarter of 2003?The establishment of a production center at West Patricia will now allow us to fully develop the surrounding acreage we currently hold."
Murphy plans to drill two more exploration wells and conduct additional 3D seismic operations on Blocks SK 309/311 this year, Deming said.
A second well, South Acis 5, was drilled on Block SK 311 to 5,660 ft TD. The well found 127 net ft of natural gas pay. Murphy said that further evaluation is needed to assess the well's potential.
Sepang 1, the third well, was drilled to 4,086 ft but was a dry hole. The well, Murphy said, fulfills the company's drilling commitment for Block SK 309.
Murphy is operator of both shallow-water blocks, 25 miles northwest of Bintulu, holding 85% in each. Petronas Carigali Sdn. Bhd. holds the remaining interest.