Egypt
Melrose Resources PLC, London, had an indicated discovery at its El Mansoura-3 well in the Nile Delta onshore within 10 km of East Delta field production facilities.
The well cut 37 ft of good quality reservoir sand, encountered on prognosis in the Pliocene Kafr el Sheik formation. Wireline and mud logs indicated the presence of dry gas. TD is 6,497 ft. Expected reserves are 25-50 bcf.
The company identified 15 analogous Kafr el Sheik and El Wastani prospects and leads on the western side of the concession.
Louisiana
Meridian Resource Corp., Houston, plans to launch a multiwell E&D program on 190,000 acres recently acquired in southern Louisiana.
Meridian licensed existing 3D seismic data for the area and planned four 150-190 sq mile 3D seismic surveys, the first of which is at permit stage.
The company did not identify geography or geology but said recent wells and 3D seismic data define the play. Wells will be 8,500-12,500 ft deep.
McMoRan Exploration Co., New Orleans, will try to re-establish production from a well on its Louisiana State Lease 340 that flowed 10-20 MMcfd over a 42-ft interval before apparent mechanical failure.
The 2 Mound Point well, just off Vermilion Bay, was perforated at 18,558-600 ft. Initially, it flowed free of water, but the cement that isolated the hydrocarbon-bearing sands apparently failed, allowing in salt water from sands above the perforated zone.
The company said the tested interval has excellent porosity and that a separate laminated sand at 16,890-17,275 ft also could contain hydrocarbons. ChevronTexaco, Samedan Oil Corp., and an individual investor hold interests.
Texas
Gulf Coast
A group led by Petro-Hunt LLC, Dallas, plans exploration based on 3D seismic data collected around oil and gas fields near the famous Spindletop salt dome, Jefferson County.
Drilling should start this year on 22,600 gross acres of leases and options known as the Centennial Project. The participants are interpreting 51 sq miles of 3D seismic data acquired in the area in early 2001.
Working interests are Petro-Hunt and International Petroleum LLC 37.5% each and St. Mary Land & Exploration Co., Denver, 25%, said Earth Search Sciences Inc., Kalispell, Mont.
West Virginia
BG Partners LLC, Alexandria, Va., purchased the interests of DRIOC Acquisition LLC, a Pennsylvania entity that held interests in 65 gas wells in McDowell, Logan, and Pleasant counties, W.Va., and Somerset, Fayette, and Clearfield counties, Pa.
Gross production is 1.1 MMcfd. BG operates 27 of the wells and planned to increase production by bringing four shut-in wells back on line and possibly drilling offsets.
BG is a private investment and consulting company formed by Clifton A. Brown and Stevens Gillespie.
