Forest Oil Corp. said it drilled the A-K2 exploration well�on Block 2 concession in the Orange River Basin off the west coast of South Africa�to 3,430 m. Two zones were tested. The first produced 30 MMcfd of gas and associated condensate through a 3/4-in. choke with 2,200 psi of pressure. The second did not produce a material amount of hydrocarbons. Other exploration activity is ongoing. Forest has a 70% stake in the block 2 and the adjacent block 1 with Anschutz Exploration Corp., Denver, Colo., holding the rest. Mvelaphanda Holdings has an option to take a 10% holding in both concessions.
The Pakistani government has granted another petroleum exploration license to a joint venture of Ocean Pakistan Corp. and the Pakistani government holdings. The Offshore Makran Central Block 2462-4 covers 6,000 sq km. Under the work program for the block, Ocean Pakistan will carry out geological and geophysical studies, and acquire, process, and evaluate at least 200 sq km of 3D seismic data, amounting to $1.1 million. This minimum commitment will be part of a larger 3D seismic program covering nearly 2,100 sq km in the three Makran blocks operated by the company. The total cost of the program is more than $10 million.
Corridor Resources Inc., Halifax, NS, says its McCully No. 1 wildcat 7 miles northeast of Sussex, NB, flowed gas at a rate of 750 Mcfd from the Albert formation. Corridor said the well has been suspended pending further analysis of test data. Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. is operator.
The US Bureau of Land Management has given permits to Rocky Mountain Gas Inc., a subsidiary of US Energy Corp. and Crestec Corp., to drill seven wells to explore the Castle Rock prospect in the Powder River Basin of Montana. RMG and its 50:50 partner in the prospect, Quaneco LLC, expect to receive BLM permits for 21 more wells within a few weeks.
The Houston Exploration Co. spudded the South Timbalier 317 No. 1 well in the Gulf of Mexico. Drilled to TD of 9,666 ft, the well tested at a rate of 1,584 b/d of oil and 900 Mcfd on a 18/64 choke at 2,410 psi. Houston Exploration is operator of the well with 55% interest. The well is expected to produce 3,000 b/d of oil. Potential reserves for the blockare 12 million bbl of oil. A platform will be installed, and production is scheduled to begin in about a year.
Southwestern Energy Co. has tested the Robertson No. 1 well at 7 MMcfd of gas and 245 b/d of condensate from the Nodosaria formation at 14,500 ft. The well is on the Havilah prospect in Lafayette Parish, La. The well was shut-in pending construction of production facilities. Initial production was expected near the end of the year. Southwestern Energy operates the well with 27.5%. Other partners are BTA Oil Producers Inc., Edge Petroleum Corp., and Seneca Resources Corp.
Amalgamated Explorations Inc. entered a seismic option agreement with Barrett Resources Corp. that will allow Barrett and its partners to drill oil and gas wells in Amalgamated leases in Boone Dome field in Wyoming to earn interest rights. Amalgamated will have access to the seismic data within 1 mile of its leases. Amalgamated holds 1,800 acres in the area.
Teton Petroleum Co. tested well No. 2 in the Eguryak license in Western Siberia at 400 b/d of oil through an 8-mm choke from the Jurassic (J-1) zone. Teton owns an equivalent 35.3% interest in the Eguryak license. The field is 20 miles north of Samotlor oil field.
Harken Energy Corp., Houston, has perforated and tested the Tex 14 sand from 13,380 to 13,438 ft in its State Lease 1480 No. 2 well at Lake Raccourci field in LaFourche Parish, La. The zone, which had 40 ft of net productive pay, tested at 571 gross b/d of oil and 916 Mcfd of gas with no water. The well had a flowing tubing pressure of 3,100 psi at the end of the flow test. Harken has a 40% working interest in this well. The well encountered three other potentially productive sands from 13,096-13,290 ft which will be tested.
BPAR-10 Ltda., a Brazilian exploration and production subsidiary of Coastal Corp., has encountered gas in four sands of the Permian Rio Bonito formation at a well in Brazil's Para�a basin. The No. 1-Rio Vora-2P-PR, which was drilling at 10,341 ft, will be tested to see if the gas is commercial. The well, planned for 12,630 ft TD, is a few miles west of the city of Pitanga. Houston-based Coastal, the operator, holds 75% and the license on the BPAR-10 block. Petroleo Brasileiro SA owns the rest.