PRIVATE COMPANIES STEP UP ECUADORIAN OIL AND GAS E&D

Foreign and domestic private companies continue to press exploration and development campaigns in Ecuador. Here's a sample of recent action: ARCO 1 Meretecocha flowed 500 b/d of 36.8 gravity oil on Block 10 in the Oriente basin, the highest gravity crude found in the basin.

May 27, 1991

2 min read

Foreign and domestic private companies continue to press exploration and development campaigns in Ecuador.

Here's a sample of recent action:

ARCO 1 Meretecocha flowed 500 b/d of 36.8 gravity oil on Block 10 in the Oriente basin, the highest gravity crude found in the basin.
Ecuador's Tripetrol reported mixed results from its first drilling program on former Belco Petroleum Corp. blocks off southern Ecuador near the onshore Ancon producing complex. Tripetrol's 1 Mata Chivato flowed 350 b/d of 35 gravity oil, but three other wells--1 Palo Santo, 1 Pocoa, and 1 Guayacan--yielded only small amounts of oil. Tripetrol, which recently acquired Belco's interests in the blocks, claims a preliminary estimate of 25 million bbl of potential reserves and said it wants to develop Mata Chivato field soon. However, it has not submitted a development plan to state oil company Petroleos del Ecuador. The new play that led to the discovery has enhanced onshore and offshore prospects in the area and may be brought to bear in the Ancon area, where wells are mainly strippers.
Oryx Energy Co. spudded 1 Gacela on Block 7, acquired from British Petroleum Co. plc. Oryx is seeking to extend production on the block beyond Coca-Payamino field, in which it owns a 35% interest as a partner with Petroecuador 65%. Coca-Payamino output is on track to a targeted 11,000 b/d by yearend.
Braspetro, the international arm of Brazil's Petroleos Brasileiro SA, finished drilling its 1 Awant wildcat on Block 17 in the central Oriente basin without reporting results. Braspetro recently was the target of allegations by environmental and Indian groups that it had harassed Huaorant Indians to drive them from tribal lands in the Block 17 area (OGJ, Jan. 7, p. 92).