Guinea
Hyperdynamics Corp., Houston, let a contract to the University of Arizona Department of Geosciences for a 2-year study of the geology and tectonic history of its 9,650 sq mile exploratory block off Guinea.
The study is to include identification and characterization of igneous rocks and associated sedimentary features from 2D and 3D seismic in order to better evaluate drilling sites.
Iraq
Petrel Resources PLC, Dublin, said the company failed to prequalify to participate in Iraq's fourth oil license round.
The participation criteria adopted by Iraqi authorities were heavily weighted towards financial size and strength rather than practical experience working in Iraqi conditions, Petrel explained. As a result no juniors or smaller independents qualified. Qualifying were supermajors, many national oil companies, and some large international independents.
Petrel will continue direct discussions with the Ministry of Oil on its existing interest in Block 6, a 10,000 sq km, lightly explored area in the eastern part of Iraq's Western Desert. The company believes the block, which it has pursued since 2002, is highly prospective.
Neutral Zone
Al-Khafji Joint Operations has awarded Seadrill, Hamilton, Bermuda, long-term contracts for two rigs to work in the Persian Gulf in the Saudi Arabia-Kuwait Partitioned Neutral Zone.
The West Triton and Offshore Resolute will work under 3-year contracts plus the time required to mobilize to the gulf from present assignments in Southeast Asia. Each contract includes an option for KJO to extend the term for a further 1 year.
The Neutral Zone part of the gulf contains Dorra gas field and the oil fields of Lulu, Hout, and Khafji. Khafji is the Neutral Zone extension of giant Safaniyah field off Saudi Arabia.
Poland
A group led by Polish Oil & Gas Co. suspended drilling at 4,219 m at the Niebieszczany-1 exploratory well on the Bieszczady block in the Polish Carpathian fold belt.
Spud in mid-October 2010 as the first of a three-well program, it was projected to 4,800 m and did not reach its primary targets. Drilling was halted due to high pressure in the reservoir. The well cut 60 m of formation that yielded oil and gas-condensate on short tests and is to be placed on flow test for as long as 14 days.
Another well to be drilled in the first half of 2012 will be designed for high pressure to enable the group to reach the primary oil targets and potentially appraise the 60-m test zone.
British Columbia
Only two more wells are needed to validate nearly all of Quicksilver Resources Inc.'s exploratory licenses in the Horn River basin of Northeast British Columbia and convert them to 10-year development leases.
Quicksilver completed its 2010-11 winter drilling program in the basin and has now drilled a total of eight horizontal wells into the Muskwa and Klua/Evie formations, of which four are on production. The company has also drilled its first horizontal well into the shallower Exshaw oil formation and expects to complete it this summer.
The company in May completed the construction and compression related to its 20-mile, 20-in. gathering line that will serve as the spine of transportation from its Horn River acreage. Completion of this line allows gas to flow from four completed gas wells at unrestricted rates of more than 30 MMcfd and minimize transportation costs.
Texas
Abraxas Petroleum Corp., San Antonio, has completed a second horizontal Strawn oil and gas well on its Spires Ranch acreage in Nolan County, West Central Texas.
The Spires 126 2H went to 9,000 ft measured total depth including a 2,000-ft lateral and is completed in unstimulated open hole.
It averaged 47 b/d of oil, 46 b/d of natural gas liquids, and 210 Mcfd of gas its first 20 days on production. Abraxas owns a 100% working interest in the well.
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