Colombia
Petroamerica Oil Corp., Calgary, has spudded the Las Maracas-11 development well at Las Maracas field on the Los Ocarros block in Colombia's Llanos basin.
The well targets attic oil in the Mirador formation and is to be followed by the drilling of Las Maracas-12. The company expects one development, one appraisal, and one water disposal well to be drilled after Las maracas-12 by yearend.
The field is producing 11,000-11,600 b/d of oil. Future production targets will be based on well performance and the results of current wells and upcoming appraisal and development.
Parex Resources Colombia Ltd. operates the block with 50% interest, and Petroamerica has 50%.
Ireland
Ireland's energy minister has approved Cairn Energy PLC's farm-in as operator of two licenses and one license option off western Ireland, where drilling is to start in 2014.
Working interests are Cairn 38%, Providence Resources PLC 32%, Chrysaor 26%, and Sosina Exploration Ltd. 4%.
Cairn has let a contract to use the Blackford Dolphin semisubmersible to spud the Spanish Point appraisal well in FEL 2/04 in the Porcupine basin Quad 35 area in second-quarter 2014, subject to approvals.
Kenya
ERHC Energy Inc., Houston, has let a contract to Bell Geospace to conduct an airborne full tensor gravity gradiometry survey on Kenya Block 11A.
Using a converted DC-3 aircraft, Bell Geospace will fly a dense grid of flight lines to measure small changes in gravity caused by changes in density of subsurface rocks. This survey method has been used successfully in Africa and contributed to recent oil discoveries in Uganda and Kenya.
Subject to certain contingencies and governmental approvals, the survey is expected to be flown through this summer according to a predetermined timeline. The information gathered will enable ERHC to focus on the most promising areas for shooting 2D seismic. Combined results will lead to drilling decisions.
The proximity of Block 11A and in-trend relationship of the Lotikipi plain, the block's main surface feature, with adjacent blocks on which discoveries have been made as well as the Abu Gabra rift basins of southern Sudan, which are established petroleum provinces, suggest a high prospectivity for hydrocarbons, ERHC said.
Namibia
Namibia's energy ministry has approved a 1-year extension of the initial exploration period on Walvis basin Blocks 2111B, 2211A, 2213A, and 2213B offshore Namibia, said Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas Ltd., Toronto.
The extension allows more flexibility and time to execute the exploration program that consists of shooting 1,000 sq km of 3D seismic on each license in 2015 and drilling an exploratory well in 2016 before the first renewal period.
Meanwhile, Eco (Atlantic), AziNam Ltd., and Namibia's state NAMCOR are preparing for a 500 sq km 3D survey on the 2012A license. They are now examining additional 2D data.
Eco (Atlantic) through its Eco Namibia subsidiary holds three Walvis basin blocks that total 6,177,000 acres and two onshore licenses that total 7,413,000 acres.
Vietnam
Mitra Energy Ltd. will plug and abandon its 45-VT-1X Vinh Thuan well on Block 45 offshore Vietnam as a subcommercial oil and gas discovery.
The Ensco 107 jack up drilled the well to 2,245 m true vertical depth subsea, and MDT and minidrillstem tests validated the presence of oil and gas.
45-VT-1X is the second in a three-well Mitra-operated program on the Block 45 and Block 46/07 PSCs. Upon plugging, the rig will move to Block 46/07 to drill the 46/07-HC-1X Hon Chuoi well.
Mitra holds a 35% operated working interest in the PSC. Talisman Energy has 35% subject to government approval and Petrovietnam Exploration & Production has 30%.