West Newfoundland exploration forays loom

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Jan. 8 -- Newfoundland’s little-drilled western margin may be in for exploration in several areas in 2010 and beyond.

Nalcor Energy Corp., the Newfoundland government entity, could spud as early as Jan. 20 at an exploratory well on 103,000 acres of leases near Parson’s Pond, 280 miles northwest of St. John’s. The company and its partners have permits to drill three wells in the area (OGJ Online, Sept. 11, 2009).

Shoal Point Energy Inc., Calgary, and Canadian Imperial Venture Corp. (CIVC), St. John’s, plan a program of geologic mapping and stratigraphic core drilling in the first quarter that could lead to later drilling of as many as three directional wells from shore at Shoal Point, Newf., to targets offshore in Port au Port Bay.

Objective of that effort is oil in the Cambro-Ordovician Green Point shale. Well depths are to be 1,000-2,000 m, CIVC said. The companies also plan to conduct geochemical, paleontological, lithological, and stratigraphic studies of the Green Point formation (OGJ, Feb. 15, 1999, p. 69).

McLaren Resources Inc., Toronto, has taken a farmout to earn part of CIVC’s interest in the Shoal Point acreage.