Corcel block in Colombia's Llanos emerges

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Mar. 3 -- Production has built to more than 13,000 b/d from two wells on the Corcel block east of Villavicencio in Colombia's Llanos basin, said Petrominerales Ltd., Bogota.

With Corcel-D1 and D2 producing from Eocene Mirador, Corcel-D3 topped Mirador 8 ft high to prognosis and encountered hydrocarbon shows. Corcel-E1 is to spud later in March.

The Corcel central processing facility is capable of handling 70,000 b/d of fluid, and an upgrade to 140,000 b/d is to be complete in the third quarter.

An offloading station at Monterrey, 77 km from Corcel, that will provide preferential rights to deliver as much as 20,000 b/d into Colombia's main export pipeline is 42% complete. Early start-up of 11,000 b/d of delivery capacity is planned for May 2009. Full capacity is due in the third quarter. The facility is to cut trucking costs by as much as $6/bbl.

Petrominerales was awarded blocks 25 and 31 totaling 333,708 acres north of Corcel in late 2008. It will spud its first exploration well on the Guatiquia block just southwest of Corcel in July targeting a 3D seismic prospect.