Esso Highlands Ltd. has spudded the Trapia-1 exploratory well in PRL 11 in Papua New Guinea 13 km east of Angore gas field and 23 km east of Hides gas field.
Primary objectives are the Toro and Digimu sandstones. Oil Search Ltd., Sydney, has 52.5% interest and is drilling the well under contract with operator Esso Highlands with 47.5%.
Trapia is a structure in PRL 11 that may if proven overlap into PPL 277, said New Guinea Energy Ltd., Sydney. NGE in March sold PPL 277 to Esso PNG Exploration Ltd. and Oil Search under terms that include a royalty to NGE if commercial production occurs.
The transaction is subject to a number of license-specific conditions and ministerial approval. The drilling of Trapia-1 is the first exploratory activity near PPL 277, NGE said.
