Germany’s Wintershall Holding GMBH has spudded the first of three horizontal pilot wells on the Bandurria Norte block in Neuquen province in western Argentina.
Wintershall, with 100% working interest, is targeting shale in the Vaca Muerta formation at 2,700-3,000 m on the 107-sq-km block.
It launched a similar project in 2015 in the nearby Aguada Federal block (OGJ Online, Mar. 17, 2015). Results from both projects “are expected in 2018,” the company said.
Wintershall has been active for more than 20 years in Neuquen province, where it has been producing oil and natural gas from both conventional and tight gas reservoirs.