By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Feb. 21 -- Houston independent Apache Corp. has completed and placed on production three wells on its operated Harriet joint venture acreage in the Carnarvon basin off Western Australia. A large portion of the company's planned 31 drilling targets is slated to be drilled in this area this year.
The Doric-2 well in Doric gas field in Permit TL/1 is producing 65 MMcfd of gas from the Lower Cretaceous Flag sandstone. The Lee-3 gas well, also in the TL/1 Permit area, is producing 50 MMcfd of gas from the Early Jurassic North Rankin and Jurassic-Triassic Brigadier and Mungaroo formations.
Produced gas from these two wells will replace volumes from other Apache gas wells under existing marketing contracts. Both gas wells were completed in early January and flow through the Apache-operated Varanus Island hub, a major producing center currently handling oil and gas production of 18,500 b/d and 310 MMcfd. The hub currently processes about 40% of the gas produced and sold into Western Australia.
The West Cyad-2 well in Permit TL/9 was drilled as a sidetrack to Apache's Victoria platform to produce a 32-ft oil column discovered last fall nearly 4 miles from the nearest infrastructure. This well, completed in early February, is producing 6,000 b/d of oil from the Flag sandstone.
Apache, through the Harriet JV, operates all three wells with a 68.5% working interest. Partners are Kufpec Australia Pty. Ltd. 19.28% and Tap (Harriet) Pty. Ltd. 12.22%.
Apache also is planning an additional Harriet JV oil well with multiple horizontal laterals in Bambra field in Permit TL/1. The extended-reach Bambra-7 well, which began producing gas in late 2005, recently started producing oil after a larger-than-anticipated gas cap was dissipated. Bambra-7, which has produced 17 bcf of gas, currently is producing 10 MMcfd of gas and 3,170 b/d of oil.