Argentina: Vaca Muerta oil eyed on Neuquen concession

Crown Point Energy Inc., Calgary, said a drilling rig is expected to be available near yearend of suitable capacity to evaluate two structures on its wholly owned Cerro de Los Leones exploration concession in Mendoza Province in Argentina’s Neuquen basin.

Seismic interpretation and geological integration continues to focus on two potentially multizone structural features identified on recently acquired 3D seismic on Cerro de Los Leones.

The two features comprise the northern extension of a larger structural trend of producing fields just south of Crown Point’s concession. Those fields include Pampa Palauco, a YPF field that record kept by the Argentine secretary of energy show has produced 21.4 million bbl of oil.

Engineering, well design, and reservoir evaluation is under way on the two prospects. Drilling these structures would evaluate both conventional reservoirs as well as the unconventional Vaca Muerta oil shales, Crown Point said.