Central Mediterranean gas discovery indicated

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Sept. 8 -- A group led by ADX Energy Ltd., Perth, will suspend the Lambouka-1 exploratory well in the central Mediterranean Sea after it indicated the presence of hydrocarbons in at least two zones in the primary objective Cretaceous Abiod formation.

The well went to 2,786 m measured total depth. Analysis of the final suite of wireline logs supported logging while drilling data. The nature of the hydrocarbons is likely to be comprised of gas and possibly condensate in the lower interval based on hydrocarbon shows recorded from the cuttings while drilling and gas chromatography.

For technical reasons, the gas shows were not as strong as encountered in the same Abiod interval in the nearby Dougga-1 discovery, but no carbon dioxide was detected while drilling the Abiod unlike at Dougga.

ADX interpreted 23 m of net pay in the two reservoir units, compared with 14 m of Abiod net pay at Dougga, which has an assessed mean resource of 74 million boe.

Lambouka, which straddles the Kerkouane and Pantelleria licenses in the Sicily Channel, is a 70-sq km tilted horst block 160 km northeast of Tunis.

Interpretation of 3D seismic suggests 250 m of updip potential from the crest of the structure to the Lambouka-1 well location. In addition, based on wireline interpretation, the first interpreted water-bearing reservoir was encountered 230 m below the upper hydrocarbon zone. Specialist wireline logs and drilling data indicate that the Abiod limestone formations at Lambouka-1 are extensively fractured, a positive factor for reservoir productivity, ADX noted.

As a result of drilling fluid losses and increasing wellbore deterioration, it was not possible to safely recover fluid samples or pressure data from the Abiod formation. Operations have become increasingly difficult, and the productivity of the reservoir from this well bore is likely to have been adversely affected by losses and use of lost circulation materials, thereby diminishing the ability to obtain representative flow rates from any drillstem test.

Suspending the well for re-entry will provide the opportunity to obtain more hydrocarbon and reservoir information in a cost effective manner from an appropriately designed Abiod drillstem test. It is possible to redrill the well’s bottom section at an appropriate orientation to test the crest of the structure as well as prospective porous sandstones encountered in the lower part of the well that are interpreted to be in closure at an updip location.

ADX will continue to interpret the data obtained from the Lambouka-1 well in conjunction with 3D seismic data and provide further assessments of the potential.

Participants in the Lambouka-1 well are ADX, operator with 30% interest, Gulfsands Petroleum PLC 30%, Carnavale Resources Ltd. 20%, and XState Resources Ltd. and PharmAust Ltd. 10% each.