Exoma Energy Ltd., Brisbane, has mobilized a rig to drill a 12-well core hole series to test for coal seam gas and shale gas prospects in the Galilee basin in central Queensland.
The 12 prospects are in ATP 991P, ATP 996P, ATP 999P, and ATP 1008P. The first well, Saltern-1, is to spud on May 26 with a primary target of CSG in Permian coal measures. The company expects to drill shale gas wells in ATP 1005P using a second rig.
Saltern-1 is the first well to be drilled under the joint venture with CNOOC Galilee Gas Co. Pty. Ltd. Exoma is operator with a 50% interest in its five Galilee basin permits totaling 26,840 sq km. CNOOC Galilee will contribute the first $50 million of exploration expenditure to earn a 50% interest in each permit.
EgyptSea Dragon Energy Inc., Calgary, said oil production from Al Amir SE and Geyad fields along the Gulf of Suez has temporarily increased to 9,470 b/d of oil.
Cumulative production has exceeded 5.2 million bbl of 42° gravity oil on the NW Gemsa concession, operated by Vegas Oil & Gas with 50% interest. Circle Oil PLC has 40% and Sea Dragon 10%.
The Geyad-3C well, which confirms a southeasterly extension of Geyad field, is flowing 2,430 b/d of oil and 2.53 MMscfd of gas on a 32/64-in. choke from the Shagar member of the Miocene Kareem formation. Shagar sands were encountered 122 ft higher than prognosis with 14 ft of net oil pay. The well also cut 5 ft of oil pay in Belayim sands. The next well is Geyad-5C.
Water injection is to start late June in Al Amir SE field.
Meanwhile, Al Baraka field in the Kom Ombo field in southern Egypt is 800 b/d.
Geological, geophysical, and engineering work and remapping of Al Baraka field are progressing to firm up locations for two exploratory wells and the AB-17, AB-18, and AB-19 development wells planned for late 2011. Sea Dragon and Dana Gas jointly operate the Kom Ombo concession with 50-50 interests.
ItalySound Oil PLC said its Apennine Energy SRL affiliate received all regulatory approvals and is mobilizing a rig to attempt completion of the Marciano-1ST well on the 24 sq km Fonte San Damiano concession in the Bradano foredeep of southern Italy's Basilicata region.
Italmineraria drilled Marciano-1 in 1989 and completed the now-depleted Pleistocene MAR-3 gas sand. Cumulative production of 600 MMcf was used to generate electricity fed into the local grid.
Reinterpretation of seismic data confirmed several leads and prospects with potential recoverable gas volumes. Several leads are characterized by amplitude anomalies which in the Bradano basin are normally interpreted to be associated with gas.
There are both shallow Pleistocene channel fills and deeper Pliocene turbidites at depths varying from 600 m to more than 1,300 m.
Apennine Energy drilled the Marciano-1 sidetrack in 2007, discovered two thin gas-bearing sands, and has cased the well. The sands are MAR-4 at 1,063 m and MAR-5 at 1,099 m. Consulting engineers estimated a midrange resource of 2.5 bcf to the sidetrack.
KazakhstanCondor Petroleum Inc., Calgary, reported an unchoked flow of 1,080 b/d of 35° gravity oil at the Shoba-2 appraisal well to the company's March 2011 Shoba discovery on the Zharkamys West block in the North Caspian basin in Kazakhstan.
Flow through a 10-mm choke stabilized at 530 b/d of 500 psi of surface pressure on a 2-day test. An 8-m oil zone interval in the Triassic Horn formation was perforated. Oil is the same gravity as that recovered from Shoba-1. No water was produced at either well.
The fluid and flow data information acquired during the initial flow period will be used to aid in the design of a long-term production test expected to be performed in this year's third quarter. Condor owns 100% working interest in the 645,000-acre block.
PeruPeru's Ministry of Energy & Mines has approved the environmental permit covering Block Z34 in the Talara basin off Peru, and Gold Oil PLC hopes to finalize commercial agreement with a seismic contractor within weeks.
The permit is for shooting a maximum of 808 sq km of seismic. With the block no longer subject to force majeure, Gold Oil is negotiating to finalize the number of days to be added to the contract term.
The company intends to shoot an initial 500 sq km of 3D seismic in the southern, most prospective part of the 3,700 sq km block. The company shot 2,013 km of 2D seismic in 2009.
The block is in 100 m to more than 2,000 m of water seaward of coastal fields that have yielded 1.6 billion bbl of oil and still produce 12,700 b/d.
Gold Oil, with 100% interest, is seeking partners to drill two exploratory wells in 2012-13.
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