Greenland: Cairn updates exploratory well progress

Sept. 14, 2011
Cairn Energy PLC has noted the progress in its 2011 exploratory program off western Greenland.

Cairn Energy PLC has noted the progress in its 2011 exploratory program off western Greenland.

The Gamma-1 exploratory well, drilled by the Ocean Rig Corcovado drillship in 1,520 m of water on the Eqqua block in the West Disko area 294 km off Aasiaat, reached total depth and is to be plugged and abandoned. The well had been targeted to test a deep water Tertiary basin floor fan 100 km downdip from the T8-1 well, which found biogenic and thermogenic gas in 2010.

Gamma-1 intersected the prognosed basin floor fan at the anticipated depth but found no reservoir or hydrocarbon shows.

The Delta-1 exploratory well, drilled by the Leiv Eiriksson semisubmersible in 293 m of water on the Napariaq block 365 km off Aasiaat, aims to intersect Cretaceous sediments in a large structural closure beneath the Tertiary volcanic interval in which oil shows were encountered in the Alpha-1 well drilled in 2010.

The Delta well has encountered several hundred meters of Tertiary volcanic section, which is thicker than anticipated and with only minor hydrocarbon indications. Cairn plans a further update later this month once the well reaches TD.

Following completion Delta-1, the Leiv Eiriksson is to move south to reenter the AT7-1 well in 909 m of water on the Atammik block 198 km off Nuuk and deepen to the planned TD.

Once operations on Gamma-1 are complete, the Ocean Rig Corcovado will move 597 km south to the Atammik block to drill the AT2 prospect as a fifth well in the 2011 exploration drilling campaign. Further updates will be provided whenever a well is at TD and operations are complete.

Cairn Energy said it will review results of the Gamma-1 and Delta-1 wells in the context of all data gathered in the Greenland campaign.