By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Oct. 14 -- Partners in Usan field off Nigeria reported Tuesday the drilling of an appraisal well that showed a "significant" extension of the field, which lies in oil prospecting license 222 off southeastern Nigeria.
The Usan-4 appraisal well, drilled about 68 miles offshore and 3 miles south of the Usan-1 well, lies in 2,460 ft of water and is the third successful appraisal of the field, which was discovered in 2002 (OGJ Online, June 10, 2002).
The most recent well was tested in two zones and flowed at a respective 4,400 b/d and 6,300 b/d under restricted flow conditions. The well "confirmed the presence of commercial quantities of oil, as well as additional potential in previously untested reservoirs," said ChevronTexaco Corp. unit and Usan field partner Chevron Petroleum Nigeria Ltd.
OPL 222 concessionaire is Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. under a production-sharing contract operated by the Nigerian subsidiary of Total SA, Elf Petroleum Nigeria Ltd., which holds 20% in the partnership. Other partners are Chevron 30%, ExxonMobil Corp. unit Esso Exploration & Production Nigeria (Offshore East) 30%, and Nexen Petroleum Nigeria Ltd. 20%.