Pioneer announces hefty appraisal well off Gabon

June 25, 2002
Pioneer Natural Resources Co., Dallas, said the Olowi Marin-2 appraisal well was drilled to 1,050 m on the Olowi Block off Gabon.

By OGJ editors

HOUSTON, June 25 -- Pioneer Natural Resources Co., Dallas, said the Olowi Marin-2 appraisal well was drilled to 1,050 m on the Olowi Block off Gabon. The company said it plans to have enough data by 2003 to move forward with development there.

The Olowi Marin-2 well is 4 km southeast of the Olowi Marin-1 discovery well, which was drilled last year.

After being cored and logged, the same Lower Gamba reservoir found in the discovery well flowed at sustained rates of just over 2,000 b/d with no water from a 15 m perforation interval, Pioneer said.

Pioneer operates the 314,000 acre permit with a 100% working interest. The rig is being moved 9 km north to drill the Gnadi Marin-1 well to test the same reservoir with results expected by the end of July.

Pioneer has had rights to explore, develop, and produce oil and gas on the Olowi Block since 1998.

The block covers water depths less than 130 ft about 3 miles southeast of giant Gamba oil field. The Olowi Block is along an oil productive trend that connects Gamba oil field northwest of the block with smaller oil fields southeast of the block (OGJ, Jan. 12, 1998, p. 24).