By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 27 -- Austral Pacific Energy Ltd. and Rift Oil PLC plan to conduct a feasibility study to assess commercialization options for its recent gas discovery on the Douglas prospect in the PPL 235 area of Papua New Guinea.
PPL 235 covers 2,910 sq km. Austral Pacific, operator, has a 35% interest in the area, and Rift Oil PLC has 65%.
The Douglas-1 well reached TD of 1,978 m on May 26. Wireline logs indicate that the well intersected two gas-bearing columns: the first in the Alene sand between 1,785 m and 1,789 m and the second in the Toro sand from 1,838-55 m.
The well is downdip from one of three structural highs contained in the prospect.
Seismic mapping of the Douglas structure had indicated a large closure, measuring some 50 sq km. The partners plan to acquire additional seismic in the license area and said they will bring forward to the fourth quarter a commitment to acquire and process 50 km of new 2D seismic to determine the extent of the Douglas resource, define appraisal well locations, and identify exploration drilling locations on other prospects.
