Eni SPA subsidiary Agip Denmark BV and F�roya Kolvetni P/F, the Faroese oil company, have been awarded two petroleum licenses off the Faroe Islands. The licenses cover 700 sq km in water depths of 1,000 m. Agip Denmark will act as the operator.
Conoco Inc. said a deepwater exploration well in Nirvana prospect on Atwater Valley Block 24 in the Gulf of Mexico was declared noncommercial. Nirvana is about 120 miles south of New Orleans in 5,896 ft of water. Conoco operated the well and holds a 50% interest in the block. Occidental Petroleum Corp. holds the remaining 50% interest in Atwater Valley 24.
Yemen has approved the production-sharing agreement for Sabatain Block 20. In April the PSA was awarded to operator Adair Yemen Exploration Ltd., Occidental Yemen Sabatain Inc., and Saba Yemen Oil Co. Ltd. (OGJ, Apr 10, 2000, p. 40). Adair postulates the block could hold up to 340 million bbl of recoverable oil. The group expects to commence 3D seismic data acquisition as early as the fourth quarter of 2000. Adair holds 30% in the block, Occidental holds 50%, and Saba holds 20%.
Dansk Olie og Naturgas AS (DONG), H�rsholm, Denmark, said it found oil with both the Nini-1 and Nini-1A exploration wells on License 4/95 in 58 m of water in the Danish North Sea. Nini-1 was drilled to 1,813 m TD, and Nini-1A reached 1,795 m TD. The wells found oil in Paleocene sandstones. Production test results are now being evaluated, said DONG. The four block partners that participated in the wells are DONG, which acted as operator with a 40% holding; RWE-DEA AG, 30%; Denerco Oil AS, 25%; and EWE AG, 5%.
Isramco Inc. said Nir-1 well, located in 119 m of water in Med Ashdod license off Israel, found a total gross gas column of 300 m. A 53-m interval tested as much as 15 MMcfd of gas. Isramco said a preliminary analysis of the test results suggests the total production potential of the well is 30 MMcfd. Nir-1 is 17 km from Ashkelon and 4 km from the recent Mari discoveries. Interests in the block are BG International Ltd., 40%; Delek Drilling LP, 21.76%; Isramco Negev 2 LP, 19.13%; Clal Industries & Energy, 5.20%; I.O.C. Dead Sea LP, 5.05%; Dor Chemicals, 2.40%; Petrochemical Industries, 2.40%; Naphtha Israel Petroleum Corp., 1.84%; Naphtha Explorations LP, 1.84%; and operator Isramco Inc., 0.36%.
