Canary Islands
An exploration group is gearing up to acquire a 3,000 sq km 3D seismic survey in 2003 that will represent the first exploration in the Fustercasas-Hesperides basin off northwestern Africa.
RWE Dea, Hamburg, which took a farmout from operator Repsol-YPF SA and will have a 20% interest, said the small Atlantic margin basin is prospective for gas and oil.
Nine blocks granted to Repsol in January 2002 cover 6,160 sq km in 700-1,500 m of water east of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura islands and 60 miles off Tarfaya, southern Morocco (see map, OGJ June 24, 2002, p. 38).
Interests in the 9 blocks, subject to approval by the Spanish administration, are Repsol 50%, Woodside Petroleum Ltd. 30%, and RWE Dea 20%.
Besides the 3D survey, the group is committed to drill 2 wells starting in 2004. Repsol has said that sediments of Mesozoic and Tertiary age are anticipated to as deep as 21,000 ft.
China
CNOOC Ltd. discovered an oil field on the Liaodong Block in Bohai Sea.
JZ25-1s-1 made a combined flow of 2,300 b/d of 27-29° gravity oil on drillstem tests, the company said. It went to TD 1,960 m in 24 m of water. The find is 40 km north of SZ 36-1 oil field and 40 km south of JZ 20-2 gas-condensate field (see map, OGJ, Dec. 17, 2001, p. 59). CNOOC is operator with 100% interest in the block.
Malaysia
Murphy Oil Corp., El Dorado, Ark., said it found oil with its Congkak well, which was drilled on Block SK 309 in 136 ft of water off Sarawak. It's the second Murphy-operated oil discovery drilled in that area.
Congkak field is 3 km from West Patricia field platform, which is now being developed with first production expected in the second quarter of 2003 (OGJ, Mar. 11, 2002, p. 9).
Murphy previously said the Kikeh-2 appraisal well confirmed that the Kikeh-1 oil discovery off Sabah, Malaysia, in 4,400 ft of water, represents a "significant discovery" (OGJ Online, Oct. 15, 2002).
Louisiana
Swift Energy Co., Houston, is preparing a multiyear plan for development of shallow oil sands in giant Lake Washington oil field in Plaquemines Parish, where it anticipates increasing production through yearend.
The company moved in a rig to begin completing 10 wells drilled and cased in the third quarter and restored production suspended for tropical storm Isidore and Hurricane Lili. Recent output exceeded 3,000 b/d net.
Most wells went to 3,000 ft TVD and averaged 154 ft of cumulative net oil pay. The wells have multiple productive horizons with 17-33% porosity and 100-3,000 md permeability. Significant facilities upgrades and new installations that boost gross capacity to 9,000 b/d are to be available soon.
Oklahoma
GHK Co., Oklahoma City, continues to develop gas around the Potato Hills structure in southern Latimer County.
The 1-29 Hightop, in 29-4n-20e, is to go on line in early November. Treated with a carbon dioxide foam frac, Jackfork perforations at 6,870-6,880 ft flowed 4.7 MMcfd, PennEnergy Data reported. TD is 10,304 ft. The site is adjacent to Eight Mile Mountain and Buffalo Mountain gas fields.
GHK is drilling below 9,000 ft toward a projected 22,000 ft at the 2-34 Mary, in 34-3n-20e, and plans to drill 1-30 Laura, in 30-4n-20e, to 10,000 ft.