ChevronTexaco finds oil in Block OPL 249 off Nigeria, confirms Aparo field extension

Oct. 29, 2003
ChevronTexaco Corp. affiliate Star Ultra Deep Petroleum Ltd. found oil on its Nigerian deepwater Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 249. Its Nsiko-1 wildcat well, drilled to 13,968 ft TD in 5,674 ft of water, discovered a substantial amount of net hydrocarbon pay in multiple zones, the company said.

By OGJ editors

HOUSTON, Oct. 29 -- ChevronTexaco Corp. affiliate Star Ultra Deep Petroleum Ltd. found oil on its Nigerian deepwater Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 249. Its Nsiko-1 wildcat well, drilled to 13,968 ft TD in 5,674 ft of water, discovered a substantial amount of net hydrocarbon pay in multiple zones, the company said.

One zone was tested in the well and flowed at 6,500 b/d of high quality crude under restricted flow conditions. The well was abandoned after completion of testing operations, and ChevronTexaco will conduct appraisal drilling on the Nsiko find in the first half of 2004.

Star Ultra Deep has 100% contractor equity in the license and serves as a technical advisor to Oil & Gas Nigeria Ltd.

In addition, the company's Aparo-3 appraisal well confirmed the extension of Aparo oil field onto OPL 249. That well, drilled in 4,270 ft of water to 12,000 ft TD, encountered a substantial amount of net oil sand. The results from the Aparo-3 well indicate that the OPL 249 Aparo, OPL 213 Aparo, and Oil Mining Lease (OML) 118 Bonga SW discoveries share a common structure. It should lead to a joint oil development by the partners of OPL 249, OPL 213 (Texaco Nigeria Outer Shelf Ltd. is operator with 100% interest), and OML 118.

"The Aparo and Nsiko wells on OPL 249 confirm its commercial viability," said Jay Pryor, Star Ultra Deep and ChevronTexaco Nigeria-Mid-Africa strategic business unit managing director.