Statoil drills first Block 4 test off Venezuela

Jan. 4, 2005
Operator Statoil drilled its first wildcat on Block 4 of the Plataforma Deltana area of the Venezuelan continental shelf where it is the sole licensee for the block.

By OGJ editors

HOUSTON, Jan. 04 -- Operator Statoil drilled its first wildcat on Block 4 of the Plataforma Deltana area of the Venezuelan continental shelf where it is the sole licensee for the block.

Ballena 1-X is the first of three wells the firm plans to drill on Block 4, which covers about 1,435 sq km in 200-800 m of water.

If the well proves successful, Statoil may drill one to three appraisal wells before declaring the field to be commercial.

Statoil holds two other Venezuelan production licences: a 15% interest in land-based Sincor heavy crude project in Orinoco Belt and 27% in the LL 652 oil field in Lake Maracaibo.