India
Oil & Natural Gas Corp. Ltd. of India and Canoro Resources Ltd., Calgary, agreed on a work program for six blocks in the Assam-Arakan basin in Nagaland state, northeastern India.
The program includes restoring production from Changpang oil field and shooting 2D and 3D seismic aimed at a subthrust trend on five exploration blocks.
Separately, Canoro recently shot 140 line-km of 2D seismic on its nearby operated AA-ON/7 block and 220 line-km on its nonoperated AA-ONN-2003/2 block looking at the same fold and thrust trend. Preliminary results indicate several prospective structures on each block.
Changpang field was reported to be flowing more than 1,000 b/d of 30° gravity oil from the Paleogene Kopili, Sylhet, Basal sandstone, and fractured basement before production was suspended in 1994.
Besides Changpang, the five exploration blocks are AA-ONN-2001/4, 645 sq km; AA-ONN-2002/4, 1,060 sq km; Singphan, 320 sq km; Bhagty-Bhandari, 620 sq km; and Dimapur, 650 sq km.
Peru
The Peruvian unit of Loon Energy Inc., Calgary, formally signed the exploration license contract for Block 127 in Peru’s Maranon basin.
Loon Peru committed to shoot 390 line-km of 2D seismic, reprocess 2,000 km of 2D seismic, and prepare other technical studies in the first 2 years on the 2.4 million acre block.
Portugal
The Portuguese Ministry of Economy awarded Mohave Oil & Gas Corp., Houston, five concessions in the Lusitanian basin in west-central Portugal.
Totaling 1.5 million acres are the Aljubarrota 3, Torres Vedras 3, Sao Pedro de Muel 2, Cabon Mondego 2, and Rio Maior 2 concessions. The blocks have an 8-year exploration period and 25-year production period.
Somalia
Africa Oil Corp., Vancouver, BC, formerly Canmex Minerals Corp., plans to start drilling in Puntland state in northern Somalia in early 2008.
The company holds 80% interest in two licenses in the Dharoor and Nogal valleys.
Under way are geological field work, reprocessing of 2D seismic, and review and integration of all geological and geophysical data, the company said.
Tunisia
Atlas Petroleum Exploration Worldwide 55% and Eurogas Corp., Calgary, 45% are progressing development and exploration on the 1 million acre Sfax permit in the Gulf of Gabes off Tunisia.
The companies have a 3½-year farmout in place with Anadarko Petroleum Corp. since 2006.
The work involves development of three oil prospects and an exploration program.
A previous operator tested 612 b/d of oil from the El Garia carbonate in the 1990s at the first development prospect, Ras el Besh. The companies have a 30-year development concession, have taken possession of a production jackup, and are estimating the volume of oil in place before drilling a high-angle well.
The companies shot 60 sq km of shallow 3D seismic over Salloum, which another operator tested at 1,800 b/d of oil in 1997. Processing and interpretation will take 5 months.
A former operator’s well on the Jawhara structure tested at 1,200 b/d of oil.
Arizona
PetroSun Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz., said it is acquiring an automated top-drive drilling rig rated to 5,500 ft for delivery later this year for its Arizona exploration program in and near the Holbrook basin.
PetroSun obtained a 985,000-acre oil and gas lease from New Zealand Oil & Gas Ltd. that includes targeted exploration prospects in the Arizona Holbrook basin and the San Juan basin in New Mexico.
The Holbrook basin contains former helium producing fields and promising indications of oil, gas, helium, and carbon dioxide.
California
Venoco Inc., Denver, is preparing to test an extended reach well drilled from shore to evaluate the offshore extent of West Montalvo field in Ventura County, Calif.
Discovered in 1951, West Montalvo has produced 10% of 243 million bbl of oil in place, but its areal extent beneath Santa Barbara Channel state waters has not been probed until now. Only regional seismic data are available over the area.
Separate surface equipment is required for the extended reach well because it is expected to produce from state lands.
While the company reactivates and reworks onshore wells in the field, acquired in May 2007, it is leaning towards a plan to permit several more extended reach wells and likely will drill those one at a time.
New Mexico
Petro Resources Corp., Houston, said it acquired a 10% working interest in the 90,000-acre El Vado East prospect in the Chama basin in northern New Mexico.
Approach Resources Inc., private Fort Worth operator, could spud the first of four vertical test wells in the fourth quarter of 2007 and may later shoot a 3D seismic survey on the property.
Primary objective is Cretaceous Mancos shale, and secondary objectives are the Dakota, Morrison, Todilto, and Entrada formations.