By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 12 -- Cairn Energy PLC has located a mean 300 million bbl of oil in place in northern Rajasthan, India, with its N-V-1 exploration well on Block RJ-ON-90/1, but oil density and viscosity limited the flow rate.
Cairn's fourth "significant" oil discovery, N-V-1 lies 18 km west-northwest of Mangala field, which is 19 km west-southwest of the N-C discovery near the block's northwestern boundary.
The well, currently 812 m deep, encountered a 62 m oil column with an estimated 35 m of net oil pay "in excellent quality Fatehgarh sands," Cairn said. The well was drilled 90 m downdip from the currently mapped crest of the structure. The top Fatehgarh was encountered at 590 m and an oil water contact established in the well.
The well flowed for 6 hours, producing 21° gravity oil. Because of its density and viscosity and the shallow depth and low pressure of the reservoir, a cased hole test on pump will be required to determine the true formation productivity.
However, the full extent of the structure currently is unknown due to the paucity of seismic data north of the block, and India must agree to a second extension area beyond the northwestern block boundary before further appraisal is possible.
The main exploration play objectives encountered in the Rajasthan basin, commencing with the stratigraphically youngest formation, are: Thumbli, Dharvi Dungar, Barmer Hill, and Fatehgarh.
Cairn holds a 100% interest in the 5,831 sq km block, but Oil & Natural Gas Corp. Ltd. retains a right to 30%.
