InterOil confirms Raptor discovery in Papua New Guinea

Dec. 3, 2014
InterOil Corp. has confirmed the presence of a “multihundred-meter hydrocarbon column” in excess of the 200-m gross gas interval previously encountered by the Raptor-1 well, 12 km west of Antelope field in Papua New Guinea.

InterOil Corp. has confirmed the presence of a “multihundred-meter hydrocarbon column” in excess of the 200-m gross gas interval previously encountered by the Raptor-1 well, 12 km west of Antelope field in Papua New Guinea.

Logs indicate a highly fractured reservoir system and mud loss during drilling supports the likely connectivity of the fracture network. Raptor encountered pay at 3,800 m, marking the deepest well drilled into the Kapau limestone reservoir, InterOil said.

InterOil in November notified the Papua New Guinea Department of Petroleum and Energy of the Raptor-1 discovery in PPL 475.

Raptor-1 is being suspended to allow planning for future appraisal work, slated to occur next year, including additional seismic, appraisal drilling, and a comprehensive testing program.

The rig is being mobilized to spud Antelope-5.

InterOil operates and holds 65.208174% interest in Raptor-1. Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. has 12.903226% and minority interests hold 21.8886%.

Other activity

The company says it continues to review and survey all options at its Wahoo-1 well in PPL 474, including well designs, mud weights, and mud types. The company suspended the well in July following significant safety concerns over high pressures (OGJ Online July 14, 2014).

Drilling is expected to resume next year.

InterOil operates and holds 78.1114% interest in the well. Minority interests hold the remaining 21.8886%.

The company says it’s now firmly into its appraisal program at Elk-Antelope and Triceratops. Antelope-4 appraisal drilling continues and Antelope-5 will spud when the rig arrives from Raptor-1.

Antelope-4 and Antelope-5 well costs are carried by Total SA, with InterOil having a net commitment of $4.6 million for the first $50 million gross expenditure on each well. Site preparation for Triceratops-3 is under way and expected to spud next year.

The Bobcat-1 well in PPL 476, about 30 km northwest of Elk-Antelope, has completed logging a 320-m interval of Kapau limestone with initial indications of hydrocarbons. The well is now undergoing testing.

InterOil operates and holds 78.1114% interest in the well. Minority interests hold the remaining 21.8886%.