Noble well cuts pay off Equatorial Guinea

Oct. 5, 2007
Noble Energy Inc. plans further drilling around another promising Benita appraisal well on Block I off Equatorial Guinea.

Uchenna Izundu
International Editor

LONDON, Oct. 5 -- Noble Energy Inc. plans further drilling around another promising Benita appraisal well on Block I off Equatorial Guinea.

The I-2 appraisal well, drilled to 10,580 ft TD, encountered 33 ft of net gas pay atop 115 ft of net oil pay. Tests indicate oil of 32° gravity.

The company will delay testing of the I-2 well to focus on acquiring another rig for downdip appraisal drilling of the Benita oil column in deeper water. A rig should be available either late in the fourth quarter of 2007 or in the first quarter of 2008. The Songa Saturn drillship, which drilled the I-2, will move to another prospect on Block I.

The Douala basin well is in 3,120 ft of water 26 miles east of Bioko Island. It is 1.9 miles southwest of the I-1 discovery well (OGJ Online, Aug. 23, 2007).

Contact Uchenna Izundu at [email protected].