By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 11 -- Statoil ASA said it has tested gas at "significant" rates in one of two intervals in its Ballena well, which it recently completed on Block 4 of Plataforma Deltana off eastern Venezuela. However, the company is unsure if the find is commercial.
"Further evaluation of the results will be done in the coming months, with a decision dependent on the outcome of the last well, [Orca, in the three-well exploration campaign on the block],"said Thore E. Kristiansen, Statoil Venezuela's country president.
The Ballena well is the second well to be completed in the drilling program. Transocean Inc.'s Sovereign Explorer semisubmersible drilled the well in 350 m of water. No well has been drilled in deeper water off Venezuela to date, Statoil said.
The Sovereign Explorer is to be moved to the third well location.
The first well completed in exploration campaign on Block 4, Cocuina-2X, found dry gas in three intervals (OGJ Online, Jan. 8, 2007, Newsletter).
Statoil is the operator of the license and holds a 51% interest and Total SA has the remaining 49%. PDVSA Gas has the option to participate with up to 35 % ownership once a commercial discovery is declared.
