SHELL TESTS SIGNIFICANT STRIKE OFF PHILIPPINES' PALAWAN ISLAND

Shell Philippines Exploration BV has tested a significant oil and gas/condensate discovery off Philippines. Shell's 1 Malampaya wildcat on 695,000 acre Block SC38, about 35 miles off Northwest Palawan Island, flowed at a combined rate of 12,623 b/d of oil and 8.9 MMcfd of gas on tests of two zones totaling 164 ft out of an estimated 472 ft gross oil column in Miocene carbonate reef. The well is a joint venture of Shell and Occidental Philippines Inc.

June 8, 1992

2 min read

Shell Philippines Exploration BV has tested a significant oil and gas/condensate discovery off Philippines.

Shell's 1 Malampaya wildcat on 695,000 acre Block SC38, about 35 miles off Northwest Palawan Island, flowed at a combined rate of 12,623 b/d of oil and 8.9 MMcfd of gas on tests of two zones totaling 164 ft out of an estimated 472 ft gross oil column in Miocene carbonate reef.

The well is a joint venture of Shell and Occidental Philippines Inc.

The lower open hole zone at 11,192300 ft in Shell 1 Malampaya flowed at a maximum rate of 7,390 b/d of 29 gravity oil and 6 MMcfd of gas through a 1 in. choke. The upper section at 11,083-129 ft flowed at a maximum rate of 5,233 b/d of 30 gravity oil and 2.9 MMcfd of gas through a 1 in. choke.

A third test, in an 86 ft section of a 1,300 ft gross gas cap, flowed at a maximum rate of 28.9 MMcfd of gas and 1,623 b/d of 51 gravity condensate through a 56/64 in. choke.

The well is 5 1/2 miles north of Oxy's 1 Camago, a 1989 discovery that flowed 21 MMcfd of gas and 730 b/d of oil (see map, OGJ, Apr. 23, 1990, p. 29). Oxy said the two wells penetrated separate Miocene reefs.

Shell and Oxy are considering development of the discoveries. Each holds a 50% interest in the block.

LINAPACAN PRODUCTION

Meantime, Vaalco Energy Inc., Houston, placed West Linapacan A field off Palawan Island on production May 30 at a rate of 18,868 b/d of 33 gravity oil from three wells (OGJ, Apr. 13, p. 27).

Field development, including drilling, completing, and tieback of the wells to a floating production storage and offloading vessel, was completed in 6 months at a cost of about $44 million. Vaalco's current interest in the field is 39%.

Its Philippines work is carried out through its Alcorn International Inc. unit.