By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, May 15 -- The KG-OSN-2001/3 block off India could soon have four rigs drilling even though the first exploration phase has expired without the required 14 wells having been drilled.
Gujarat State Petroleum Corp., operator under the production-sharing contract, asked the government to extend the exploration period and allow it to proceed into the second exploration phase but had no ruling as of May 14. No commercial discovery has been designated on the block.
GeoGlobal Resources Inc., Calgary, holds the other interest in the block.
Meanwhile, GSPC was preparing to test the KG-16 well, TD 5,372 m MD, drilled by the Atwood Beacon jack up in 109 m of water 5 km east of the KG-8 platform.
KG-28, drilled directionally by the Saipem Perro Negro 3 jack up from the KG-8 platform is nearing TVD of 5,050 m about 1,500 m east of the platform as an appraisal well.
The Sinvest Deep Driller 1 spudded the KG-30 vertical well on May 8 in 45 m of water 15.5 km northeast of the KG-11 well toward a planned 4,200 m as the first exploratory well in the deepest part of the block's northern graben.
The Essar Wildcat semisubmersible is to begin drilling on the block by the third quarter.
