Georgia: Rioni spud set, shale plays under study

Strait Oil & Gas Ltd., private UK independent, is building location for the second in a two-well exploratory program in the Rioni basin onshore west-central Georgia.
Jan. 24, 2012

Strait Oil & Gas Ltd., private UK independent, is building location for the second in a two-well exploratory program in the Rioni basin onshore west-central Georgia.

It is to drill the Namakhvani-1 well to 3,500 m as a Jurassic test on Block VIa with spud set for early to mid-February.

Namakhvani is northeast of the first well, Mukhiani-1, drilled in the second half of 2011. Reinterpreted seismic supported by vertical seismic profiling has identified new fault and stratigraphic trap potential with the possibility of a sidetrack to be drilled after more seismic is shot in the second half of 2012.

Blocks VIa and VIb total more than 6,500 sq km (OGJ Online, June 28, 2011).

Strait Oil & Gas has 40% interest in the blocks, Range Resources Ltd. has a 40% farm-in interest, and Red Emperor Resources NL has 20%. Range and Red Emperor are based in Perth.

The companies retained NTD Energy consultants to assist in promoting and developing unconventional shale plays that may exist on the licenses by identifying farmees, Range Resources said.

About the Author

Alan Petzet

Chief Editor Exploration

Alan Petzet is Chief Editor-Exploration of Oil & Gas Journal in Houston. He is editor of the Weekly E&D Newsletter, emailed to OGJ subscribers, and a regular contributor to the OGJ Online subscriber website.

Petzet joined OGJ in 1981 after 13 years in the Tulsa World business-oil department. He was named OGJ Exploration Editor in 1990. A native of Tulsa, he has a BA in journalism from the University of Tulsa.

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