By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, June 22 -- Houston-based Marathon Oil Corp. subsidiary Marathon EG Production Ltd., operator of Alba field off Equatorial Guinea, reported a natural gas and condensate discovery on Sub Area A of the Alba block.
The Deep Luba discovery well, drilled from Alba field's production platform, is 18 miles west of Bioko Island in 245 ft of water. The well, drilled to 5,497 ft TMD, encountered 270 ft of net gas-condensate pay in the Lower Isongo section 1,000 ft below the currently producing Alba field pay sands. The well also encountered gas-condensate pay in the more shallow Isongo sands in Alba field.
Potential development scenarios, including production through Alba field's existing liquids operations and future LNG development on Bioko Island, will be considered upon completion of testing.
One of the well's pay zones flowed on test 18.1 MMcfd of gas and 1,000 b/d of condensate on a 32/64 in. choke. Each of two remaining untested zones are thicker and appear to be of better quality based on wireline log analysis, Marathon said. Marathon expects to continue testing the remaining pay zones during second half 2004.
Marathon holds 63% interest in Alba field and serves as operator. Noble Energy Inc. holds 34%, and the national oil company of Equatorial Guinea Compania Nacional de Petroleos de Guinea Ecuatorial holds 3%.
