GulfSlope advances plans for additional Tau prospect drilling in gulf

GulfSlope Energy Inc. advanced plans to drill in the Tau prospect, outer continental shelf, US Gulf of Mexico, with the filing of an application for a drilling permit (APD) and submission of an exploration plan (EP). The APD was filed with the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and the EP was submitted to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. The company anticipates receiving approvals in late March.

Tau is a subsalt Miocene prospect located on Ship Shoal Area, South Addition Blocks 336/351 in 305 ft of water. The Tau No. 2 well is designed to be drilled to 20,000 ft TVD (21,543 ft MD) to test multiple intervals that correlate to productive zones in nearby Mahogany field, some 5 miles to the southwest.

The company was encouraged by what it saw in the geologic section penetrated below salt in the Tau No. 1 well, said John Seitz, chairman and chief executive officer of GulfSlope, and the new surface location “avoids issues encountered in the first well and optimizes below salt targeting of the prospective intervals,” he said.

Gulf Slope plugged Tau No. 1 after halting drilling with the well at 15,242 ft MD in 305 ft of water on Ship Shoal South Addition Blocks 336 and 351. Target depth was 29,857 ft. The operator said the well yielded hydrocarbon shows but did not establish commercial pay (OGJ Online, July 1, 2019).

GulfSlope is operator with 25%. Delek GOM Investments LLC, a subsidiary of Delek Group Ltd., holds 75%.