FRENCH WESTERN APPROACHES, BISCAY BAY DRAW EXPLORERS

Two of France's offshore areas are drawing another look from exploration companies. Elf Aquitaine is to start drilling a wildcat in the Bay of Biscay on Permis de Born-Maritime, which it holds 70-30% with Agip (OGJ, June 27, 1994, p. 64). Meanwhile, Elf Aquitaine and the BHP-Hamilton/Amerada association have withdrawn separate permit authorizations requested on the French Western Approaches acreage and will apply for a joint permit shortly. Elf and the association will explore their areas

July 31, 1995

2 min read

Two of France's offshore areas are drawing another look from exploration companies.

Elf Aquitaine is to start drilling a wildcat in the Bay of Biscay on Permis de Born-Maritime, which it holds 70-30% with Agip (OGJ, June 27, 1994, p. 64).

Meanwhile, Elf Aquitaine and the BHP-Hamilton/Amerada association have withdrawn separate permit authorizations requested on the French Western Approaches acreage and will apply for a joint permit shortly. Elf and the association will explore their areas separately and jointly develop any discovery.

Final authorization will not be forthcoming before January-February 1996. A 3D seismic survey could be acquired in mid-1996. Following interpretation, the first hole might not be drilled until 2000.

This is another area where new horizons have been uncovered. Expected reservoirs are mainly Jurassic (Callovian) and Triassic as in Britain's Wytch Farm and Ireland's Ballycotton and Kinsale Head fields, according to a study carried out by Institut Francais du Petrole (OGJ, July 3, p. 70).

BAY OF BISCAY WORK

Saipem's Pero Negro jack-up was to be installed in the Bay of Biscay in mid-July 10 km from shore to drill the Antares 3 wildcat to 3,500 m in 50 m of water.

It has taken Elf more than 18 months to obtain drilling authorization on what is France's largest promising prospect, on trend with Esso's major Parentis oilfield. The reason for the delay is that the drilling acreage is in the firing line of one of France's major military missile testing pads.

The final arrangement is that Elf is allowed to drill and test between July 22 and Sept. 15-20 with the rig crew possibly forced to interrupt operations between Sept. 1-2 should military priority decree.

If oil should be tested at a commercial rate, it is not clear what arrangements will have to be made. The field could be developed in the manner of a marginal satellite. IFP, Coflexip, and SBM have developed such a system comprising a light floating support, polyphasic pumping and flexible pipes to lift production to existing installations.

According to the hydrocarbon department at France's industry ministry, the Bay of Biscay is most likely of all the country's continental shelf to hold hydrocarbons. Exploration has been light because of the area's complex geology.