Gran Tierra Energy Inc., Calgary, plans to spud the Bretana Norte 95-2-1XD exploratory well on Block 95 in Peru’s Maranon basin this month.
Drilling is to continue into the first quarter of 2013. Block 95 contains the 1974 Bretana-1 well that tested 18° gravity oil at rates of 807 b/d on natural flow and was never placed on production.
The company holds 100% working interest in Block 95 and is operator subject to official approval.
The well is part of a $363 million capital program for 2013 that includes $202 million for drilling, half of it for exploratory drilling. Besides Bretana Norte, the company plans to drill 10 wells in Colombia, 6 in Argentina, and 2 in Brazil.