Reliance has Cauvery-Palar gas-condensate find

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Apr. 21 -- Reliance Industries Ltd. reported a gas-condensate discovery at the first well in the Cauvery-Palar deepwater basin off southeastern India.

The CYPR-D6-SA1 discovery well went to 3,815 m in crystalline basement in 1,194 m of water off Chennai on the CYPR-D6 block. Fully described as CY-PR-DWN-2001/3, the 8,600 sq km block was awarded to Reliance in the NELP 3 bid round.

The well encountered multiple hydrocarbon-bearing clastic reservoirs in the Late Cretaceous section. Several tests including modular dynamic testing and drillstem tests confirmed the presence of rich gas-condensate.

The well drillstem tested at rates of 37 MMscfd of gas and 1,100 b/d of condensate through a 56/64-in. choke from the main zone that has a gross thickness of about 230 ft. Another shallower zone was established through MDT sampling where a gas-condensate sample was retrieved.

RIL has 100% participating interest in the block, which is one of the 23 exploratory blocks in which BP Exploration (Alpha) Ltd. would acquire 30% participating interest subject to government approval.

The discovery has been named Dhirubhai-53 and has been notified to the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons. Appraisal is planned to assess the extent of the reservoirs along this play trend.