Fiji
The Australian Agency for International Development let a contract to Australian Geological Survey Organisation to supervise acquisition of geophysical data in Fiji.
Acquisition of airborne magnetic, gamma-ray, and digital elevation model data over most of the Fiji islands and intervening ocean is to start in April 1997. Data are to be released in early 1998. AGSO will collaborate with the Fiji Mineral Resources Department.
Indonesia
Pertamina signed six oil and gas contracts worth $192.2 billion during 10 years.
Production sharing contracts went to PT Risyad Salim Resources Asahan for the Asahan block in North Sumatra and to Santa Fe Energy Resources Co. for the Pagatan area off South Kalimantan west of Laut island.
Technical assistance contracts went to PT Indospec Asia Petroleum Bangadua for Bangadua field in West Java; PT Gunarsa Glagah-Kambuna Energi for Glagah Kambuna field in North Sumatra; PT Western Nusantara Energy Pty. Ltd. for Tanjung Miring Timur field in North Sumatra; and PT Ranya Energi for Pamanukan Seletan field in West Java.
South Africa
Soekor E&P (Pty.) Ltd. plans to start production in February 1997 from Oribi offshore oil field, formerly E-BT field.
It plans to produce 20,000 b/d of oil from two pre-drilled wells, using high-pressure seawater injection of as much as 30,000 b/d in another pre-drilled borehole. The main reservoir, at 7,677 ft subsea, contains 42° gravity oil.
Meanwhile, F-A gas field in Mossel Bay averaged 9,400 b/d of condensate production in 1995.
Alaska
Minerals Management Service Alaska Regional Office in Anchorage will prepare an an environmental impact statement for proposed Beaufort Sea OCS Lease Sale 170.
Sale 170 is contained in the 5 year program that starts in 1997. In order to meet the sale date of March 1998, MMS is beginning to work on the EIS prior to the 5 year plan's implementation in July 1997. The draft EIS is scheduled to be released to the public in May 1997. Public hearings on the EIS will be held in June 1997.
The area under consideration focuses on near shore blocks from east of the Colville River to west of Barter Island.
California
Venoco Inc., Santa Barbara, acquired Mobil's interests in Grimes and Willows-Beehive gas fields in the Sacramento basin for $10.15 million.
The interests produce 8.4 MMcfd of gas and will provide an operating base to allow Venoco to further expand in the basin.
Venoco is drilling the fourth well in a six well program in Santa Clara Avenue oil field and plans to drill five wells in Beverly Hills field in southern California.
Michigan
Belden & Blake Corp., North Canton, Ohio, planned to drill two more horizontal wells to Devonian Dundee in Michigan in December 1996 and several horizontal wells to Dundee and Silurian Niagaran.
Its most recent completion flowed more than 300 b/d of oil and 100 Mcfd of gas from a Niagaran reef. The 1-4 Weber-Brown, in Grand Traverse County, made the flow on a 14/64 in. choke with 450 psi FTP from two laterals of about 1,000 ft each at 5,700 ft TVD.
The well is a redrill of a 1991 dry hole and lies 11/2 miles northwest of nearest Niagaran production, Petroleum Information reported.
B&B also reports that the 1-3 Tow horizontal well in Crystal field, Montcalm County, is producing 100 b/d of oil on a 6/64 in. choke from Devonian Dundee 1 year after completion of a 95 ft lateral (OGJ, Oct. 21, 1996, p. 60). The well has produced 30,000 bbl, and its reserves are estimated at 200,000 bbl. B&B's interest is 60%.
New Mexico
Newly formed Rio Chama Petroleum Inc., Santa Fe, acquired a Blanco Pictured Cliffs South gas producing property mainly in Rio Arriba County from EOG (New Mexico) Inc. for $1.3 million.
More than 90 wells produce a combined 1.5 MMcfd of gas, no water. The property has been producing since the late 1950s.
Rio Chama will review well files to determine recompletion and drilling opportunities. EOG ceases to have an interest in any New Mexico production.
Texas
West
Parker & Parsley Petroleum Co. and Enserch Exploration Inc. are pursuing a multiwell drilling program near a Permian Bone Spring discovery in the Delaware basin.
The 1 University 18-34, in the War-Wink West field area, is producing 350 b/d of oil with 374 Mcfd of gas on a 7/64 in. choke with 3,700 psi FTP from a gross 150 ft zone below 11,400 ft.
TD is 11,660 ft. The well flowed at rates as high as 720 b/d.
The companies plan a delineation well 1 mile west. They also plan to develop the 4,500 acre War-Wink pros- pect just west of War-Wink West field.
Parker & Parsley and Enserch plan to drill eight exploratory wells this year on 30,000 acres they control in the basin on which they have identified 13 more prospects.
Utah
Gulf Canada Resources Ltd.'s U.S. unit, GCRL Energy Ltd., staked a remote wildcat in the northern Paradox basin.
The 1 Seismosaur-Federal, in 20-21s-20e, Grand County, is projected to 16,000 ft. The spot is 10 miles southwest of Greater Cisco field, which produces gas from Cretaceous and Jurassic zones, PI reported.
The location is about 11 miles west of an 18,450 ft dry hole plugged in 1982.
Washington
Washington State Department of Natural Resources sought nominations by Feb. 3 for an Apr. 18 oil and gas lease sale.
The state is underlain by 10,000-30,000 ft of folded and faulted Tertiary siliciclastic rocks. This includes sandstones that range from thick, low porosity sections similar to those associated with deep basin-centered gas accumulations of the "Ocean City sand," which is 700 ft thick, has 30% porosity, and permeability in excess of 1 Darcy, DNR noted.
Fewer than 200 wells deeper than 4,000 ft have penetrated the prospective area, about half the size of Louisiana.
No wells currently produce, but a stripper oil field and two low volume gas fields have been developed.
Geochemical studies show widespread gas generative source rocks and underplated oil prone strata near the Pacific coast.
The structure is complex and includes untested regional anticlinoriums such as Horse Heaven Hills 120 miles long.
Copyright 1997 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
