By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Apr. 21 -- OMV AG said its Austrian subsidiary made a gas discovery in the Vienna basin from which it might recover as much as 140 bcf in 20 years based on current assumptions.
Appraisal drilling was to start in 2006 and production in 2008 from the field found with the Strasshof T4 exploration well. When developed the field should produce 17-35 MMcfd of gas, OMV said.
Strasshof T4, 20 km northeast of Vienna, went to TD 4,516 m at a cost of (Euros) 7 million and found gas in Reyersdorfer dolomite at 3,200 m and Perchtoldsdorfer dolomite at 4,300 m. It is the basin's biggest gas find in more than 20 years, OMV said.
OMV said it has been producing gas in Austria since 1969 from similar reservoirs, which are around 200 million years old.
The company attributed the well's success to application of 3D seismic interpretation and "technically sophisticated" drilling technology.
OMV said 140 bcf is about half Austria's annual gas consumption and three times OMV's annual gas production.
Strasshof T4, near Matzen field, central Europe's biggest contiguous oil field, is the basin's largest gas find since discovery of Hoflein field in 1982.
OMV drilled 23 wells in Austria in 2003-04, offsetting production declines and leveling Austria's production at the highest since 1980. OMV said its proved reserves in Austria are 60 million bbl of oil and 500 bcf of gas.
