Australia

Apache Northwest Pty. Ltd. has indicated that it may spud the Zola-1 wildcat on WA-290-P in the Carnarvon basin off Western Australia as early as August depending on rig availability.

July 21, 2010

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 21 – Apache Northwest Pty. Ltd. has indicated that it may spud the Zola-1 wildcat on WA-290-P in the Carnarvon basin off Western Australia as early as August depending on rig availability, said partner Tap Oil Ltd., Perth.

Zola, a large Triassic tilted fault block on trend with giant Gorgon gas field, is one of the basin’s largest undrilled structural features. The well will go to 5,000 m in 300 m of water.

The well will test the gas potential of several top and intra Mungaroo sands of Triassic age, the main Gorgon reservoir. The top of Mungaroo is expected at 4,300 m. Some Jurassic reservoirs may be developed that flank the main Triassic structure.

Previous drilling on the block focused on the shallower Jurassic and Cretaceous interval, resulting in the Antiope gas discovery in 2000 and the minor Lauda oil discovery in 2005.

WA-290-P participants are Apache 30%, Nippon Oil Exploration (Dampier) Pty. Ltd., OMV Australia Pty. Ltd. 20%, Santos Offshore Pty. Ltd. 15%, and Tap Oil 10%.