Blackdog Preps to Drill Well in Alberta

- Blackdog Preps to Drill Well in Alberta

Friday, September 02, 2011
Blackdog Resources Ltd.

Blackdog is participating in the drilling of an approximate 3000 meter deep Leduc Reef Exploration well (the "Well") near Sylvan Lake, Alberta. The target was defined using extensive 3D seismic analysis and the Company believes the target is prospective for light oil.

Under the terms of a farm in agreement, Blackdog is paying 25% of all costs to testing or abandonment to earn a 15% working interest ("W.I.") in the Well and entire section of land the Well is situated on. The Company believes that a successful well could lead to the drilling of two additional wells on the same section of land.

Also under the terms of the farm in agreement, Blackdog received an option, at the Company's discretion, to participate in the drilling of a second Leduc Reef Exploration well in the Sylvan Lake area. Blackdog would pay 25% of all costs to testing or abandonment to earn a 16.25% W.I. in this well and the land it is situated on. Blackdog has a 72 hour window from the casing or abandonment of the first exploration well to exercise this option.

The first well has been spud and the Company expects to announce results during the month of September.

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Entek Preps Battle Mountain Well for Testing in Niobrara Play

- Entek Preps Battle Mountain Well for Testing in Niobrara Play

Thursday, August 11, 2011
Entek Energy Ltd.

Entek provided an update on the Niobrara Shale Oil Project Appraisal Program in the Green River Basin.

Battle Mountain 14-10L – The well is currently being prepared for testing in the Frontier Sandstone secondary objective. The completion procedure, which includes testing and fracture stimulation for the potential Niobrara pay zones is currently being refined by Halliburton.
Completion operations for the Niobrara are expected to start in September 2011.

Slater Dome (SD) Federal 24-9DL – The well has been spudded and is currently drilling the surface hole section at 400 ft. Casing is planned to be set at 2,500 ft before drilling the remainder of the well. The planned total depth of the well is 8,627 ft.

Entek holds a 55% interest in the Green River Basin Joint Venture (GRBJV) with Emerald Oil & Gas holding 45%. Entek is the Operator. The GRBJV now controls close to 80,000 gross acres, approximately 60,000 net acres, covering the Niobrara Shale Oil Play.

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Oilex Preps for Flow Back at Cambay Well

- Oilex Preps for Flow Back at Cambay Well

Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Oilex Ltd.

Oilex advised that all eight stages of the fracture stimulation program of the horizontal section in the Cambay-76H well were pumped successfully and according to plan.

The well is currently being prepared for flow to surface to remove stimulation fluids from the formation (well clean-up phase). After the completion of the clean-up operations a flow test will be conducted.

The Cambay-76H "proof of concept" horizontal well is evaluating the production potential of the Y Zone interval of the extensive deep Eocene "tight" reservoirs in the onshore Cambay Production Sharing Contract area, Gujarat, India.

• Report date: August 9, 2011
• Status: Prepare for flow back and clean-up operations
• Past Week's Operations:
  • Completed eight stage fracture stimulation program
  • Completed micro-seismic and pressure data acquisition
  • Preparations for well clean-up operations
• Objective: Cambay Eocene "tight" reservoir Y Zone
• Total Depth: 2,740 meters including 610 meters horizontal section

The participating interests in the Cambay PSC are:

• Oilex Ltd (Operator) 30%
• Oilex NL Holdings (India) Limited 15%
• Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Ltd 55%

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Rodinia Preps Drilling Ops at Mulyawara 1 Well

- Rodinia Preps Drilling Ops at Mulyawara 1 Well

Thursday, August 04, 2011
Rodinia Oil Corp.

Rodinia Oil is preparing to run the second intermediate casing string prior to drilling ahead into prospective formations at Mulyawara 1, in the Officer Basin of South Australia.

Rodinia began drilling Mulyawara 1 on the morning of Thursday June 9, 2011 (Australian Central Standard Time) and reached the first intermediate casing point of 1,525 meters on August 1, 2011. The casing shoe is being set above the projected depth of the first series of evaporite (salt) seals.

To date drilling has been slower than anticipated due to mechanical issues on the rig, drilling in harder rock than predicted and extremely high rate water inflows from upper zones, which forced drilling operations to switch from the faster air hammer drilling to the slower underbalanced water rotary drilling.

Mulyawara 1 has confirmed the existence of excellent reservoir quality rocks in the Neoproterozoic with the Eidacaran Age Murnaroo Formation having an average log porosity of 18% (commonly up to 23%) and flowing water at rates between 600 and 900 Bbl per hour during air drilling operations. The well has also encountered small gas peaks and traces of hydrocarbon fluorescence exhibiting blooming cut over discrete intervals within the undifferentiated Upper Cryogenian.

Although these findings are encouraging and reduce the risks associated with source, migration and reservoir, this exploration well is still a high-risk venture and yet to be proven. The primary objectives of the well are yet to be intersected and lie below the prospective regional salt seals.

Rodinia has an 80% working interest in this well and prospect and is the operator.

Mulyawara 1 is located in the northwest corner of PEL 253 in the Officer Basin, South Australia on a structure of approximately 36.3 square kilometers (per horizon) in size as identified on seven separate 2-D seismic lines.

As Mulyawara-1 is entering the prospective target formations, management of Rodinia will continue to impose an operational trading blackout on all officers, employees, directors and consultants until the results of the exploration well are made public.

Rodinia expects to issue the next drilling update report once Mulyawara-1 has reached total depth, unless a material event occurs in the interim.

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Treaty Preps for Belize Drilling Program

- Treaty Preps for Belize Drilling Program

Friday, July 29, 2011
Treaty Energy Corp.

Treaty reported on developments in Belize leading up to the implementation of its initial eight well drilling program.

Andrew V. Reid, Chairman and CEO of Treaty Energy Corporation, stated, "We are pleased to confirm that all things requested of Treaty by both the Belize Ministry of the Environment and Department of Petroleum have now been completed and provided to the proper Belizean agencies. In addition, we are elated that the Director of the Ministry of the Environment has signed off on our environmental checklist, and has confirmed that Treaty may move forward and drill the initial two wells of the eight well drilling program."

Mr. Martin Alegria, Director of the Belize Ministry of the Environment advised Treaty Energy and Princess Petroleum at a recent meeting that they should have the ECP (Environmental Compliance Plan) complete and up to date so that after the first well is drilled (and given that there is a commercial find) the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) will take minimal time to be approved so that production may commence.

To accelerate this process the Company has contracted an attorney from BNE to assist in finalizing the surface rental agreement for planned drill sites. Treaty will communicate directly with the land owner to finalize the rental agreement. Furthermore, a local surveyor under contract with Treaty will complete the survey for our initial drill site this week.

Mr. Reid went on to say, "Our stakeholders are reminded that we have established Treaty Belize Energy, Ltd. in May 2011 and located our corporate office in Belize City. In addition, we also equipped a field operations office in Placencia, Stann Creek District, Belize, close to the drilling sites to be developed, which are a three hour drive south of Belize City."

Treaty Energy has had meetings with a number of community leaders in areas where the Company intends to drill and is pleased to report that these community leaders are uplifted and energized with our intent and in particular that Treaty will be providing employment opportunities for numerous local Belizean's.

In conclusion Mr. Reid stated, "Ongoing developments and significant preparation in Belize are proving advantageous to a successful drilling program. Upon arrival of the drilling rig and support equipment by sea on July 27th our Company is moving ahead with an oil program that holds the potential to be a magnificent life changer for all Treaty stakeholders and the people of Belize."

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Southern Bay Preps for Fracking Ops at Fayette Well

- Southern Bay Preps for Fracking Ops at Fayette Well

Friday, June 10, 2011
ureka Energy Ltd.

Eureka provided an update on drilling at the Blackjack Springs Unit 1H, the first well at its Pan de Azucar Eagle Ford Shale project in Fayette County, on-shore Texas USA. As per the latest Operator reports, the well has successfully reached a Total Depth of 16,680 ft, and has been subsequently cased and cemented in preparation for fracking operations.

Mr. Ian McCubbing, Chairman of Eureka stated that, "We are very pleased to have reached this key milestone with the well, and look forward to the fracking operations being undertaken which will provide us with important productivity information in the Pan de Azucar acreage. This is a significant step in the Company's appraisal and development strategy for what is its first exploration activity outside of the Sugarloaf AMI."

The well which was drilled by the Operator, Southern Bay Operating, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of GeoResources Inc., achieved a horizontal section of approximately 6320 ft., and was drilled through the main target zone of the Eagle Ford Shale in accordance with the drilling plan.

The fracture stimulation operations are expected to be undertaken within the next few weeks, immediately after the Operator has completed fracture stimulation operations on its two Flatonia wells located less than 10km south west of Eureka's Pan de Azucar area.

The Blackjack Springs Drilling Unit is a 916 acre pooled unit to which Eureka has contributed 86 acres for its 9.4% working interest. The unit is immediately adjacent to the remaining 675 acres (EKA WI 100%) that make up the balance of the Pan de Azucar project.

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Norway Preps for Oil Exploration in Barents Sea

- Norway Preps for Oil Exploration in Barents Sea

Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa)

Norway said it has begun preparations for oil and gas exploration in an uncharted section of the Barents Sea after solving a long-running demarcation row with Russia.

"We will start charting the previously disputed area as soon as the demarcation treaty comes into effect," Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said.

The foreign ministers of both countries on Tuesday exchanged documents on the new delimitation agreement, earlier approved by the parliaments of both countries. The treaty enters into force July 7.

Melting ice in the Arctic due to global warming has opened the region for exploration. The Barents Sea region is believed to host rich oil and gas reserves. There was also potential for new shipping routes.

Norway and Russia last year agreed on the demarcation of the area off northern Norway. The talks opened in 1970.

Stoltenberg said he envisaged closer cooperation with Russia, both between government agencies and businesses.

The Norwegian government has reserved 29 million dollars for seismic tests of the seabed in the Norwegian section of the Barents Sea.

The tests were necessary to assess the potential finds in the area, said Ole Borten Moe, minister of petroleum and energy.

Copyright 2011 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH

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Nido Preps Casing at Gindara Well

- Nido Preps Casing at Gindara Well

Thursday, May 26, 2011
Nido Petroleum Ltd.

Nido, on behalf of the SC 54B Joint Venture, announced that at 06:00 hrs (WST) on May 26, 2011, the 17 ½" hole in the Gindara-1 exploration well in SC 54B had been drilled to 1,380 meters MD (1,358 meters TVDss) and the current operation is preparing to set the 13 3/8" casing in the upper Pagasa Formation mudstones as planned.

During the week, the Gindara-1 well was drilled from the seafloor through the Carcar and Matinloc Formations and into the top of the Pagasa Formation which has been provisionally picked at 1,317 meters MD (1,295 meters TVDss). The well was then drilled into the upper Pagasa Formation to where the 13 3/8" casing is currently being set.

The forward operation is to complete the running and cementing of the 13 3/8" casing and drill the 12 1/4" hole section to 3,307 meters MD (3,285 meters TVDss) where the 9 5/8" casing is planned to be set.

Updates on the progress of the Gindara-1 well are being issued on a weekly basis, the next release to the market being Thursday, June 2, 2011.

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Entek Preps VR 342 Well for Casing in GOM

- Entek Preps VR 342 Well for Casing in GOM

Thursday, May 19, 2011
Entek Energy Ltd.

Entek provided an update on the VR 342 well in the Gulf of Mexico.

The well is at 5,145' (Measured Depth). Current operations involve finalization of running the 13 3/8'' casing and testing surface equipment before drilling ahead. The next casing point is planned to be around 7,500' where 9 5/8" casing will be set. The planned total depth of the well is 8,552' (Measured Depth).

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Bering Preps for Remediation of Two Tx. Wells

- Bering Preps for Remediation of Two Tx. Wells

Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Bering Exploration Inc.

Bering will begin the remediation of an initial two wells on its recent joint venture on 1,000 acres located in Central Texas. Bering will equally share the expenses required to remediate and develop this prospect with its JV partner and expects to begin the initial two well remediation within the next couple of weeks. There are 50 new well locations and an existing 50 well bores that could potentially be rehabilitated and brought back into production. The company will initially target the Eagle Ford and Austin Chalk formations.

Bering recently announced that drilling operations have begun on its Gulf Coast prospect with potential gross revenue valued at $29 million over the life of the prospect. Additionally, Bering announced that it will initially drill four test wells on its Eagle Ford shale play in Central Texas targeting $11 million in gross potential reserves and will utilize the results to help with the design and development of a more in depth drilling program for the remaining 116 potential well locations targeting gross potential reserves of more than $300 million. The figures above are based upon the current price of oil and gas and assume all wells are drilled and successful.

"We believe that this is an excellent opportunity to quickly establish production and cash flow," stated Steven Plumb, VP of Finance of Bering. "We hope that these initial two wells provide us the results that will enable us to expand our remediation efforts to the entire field."

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Circle Oil Notes Drilling Preps at Egyptian Well

Circle Oil Notes Drilling Preps at Egyptian Well

Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Circle Oil plc

Circle Oil announced an update regarding the Geyad-3C appraisal/development well together with details on the future development of the NW Gemsa Concession.

Geyad-3C Update

Geyad-3C, located to the south-east of the Geyad-1X ST well in the Geyad Development Lease, is planned to be drilled to a total depth ("TD") of 5,911 ft measured depth ("MD") in the Upper Rudeis. The well is currently rigging up and preparing to commence drilling. The main objective for this well is to appraise and bring into production the oil bearing Shagar and Rahmi sandstones of the Kareem Formation. In the Geyad-1X ST well both zones were tested in May 2009 at a combined sustained rate of 2,809 bopd and 3.04 MMscf/d of gas from the Rahmi sandstones on a 64/64" choke and the well was put on production. In Geyad-2 ST, the Shagar sands were tested at a sustained rate of 3,850 bopd and 4.62 MMscf/d of gas on a 48/64" choke and the well was put on production. Secondary objectives of the Geyad 3-C well are to penetrate and evaluate the hydrocarbon potential of the overlying South Gharib and Belayim formations.

NW Gemsa Concession

Following the drilling of Geyad-3C, further intensive exploration, appraisal and development drilling is planned over the next eighteen months. A program of water injection wells will be drilled, as required, to support oil production in both the Al Amir SE and Geyad fields.

The NW Gemsa Concession, containing the Al Amir and Geyad Development Leases, covering an area of over 260 square kilometers, lies about 300 kilometers southeast of Cairo in a partially unexplored area of the Gulf of Suez Basin. The concession agreement includes the right of conversion to a production license of 20 years, plus extensions, in the event of commercial discoveries. The NW Gemsa Concession partners include: Vegas Oil and Gas (50% interest and operator); Circle Oil Plc (40% interest); and Sea Dragon Energy (10% interest).

AED Recommences Retesting Preps at Lempuyang Well

AED Recommences Retesting Preps at Lempuyang Well

Friday, April 01, 2011

AED Oil Ltd.

AED Oil updated on its current testing program at Brunei Block L and its forward plans for the Block. 

Testing Update – Lempuyang-1

During the last few days, AED recommenced work in preparation for retesting of the Lempuyang-1 well. During this process, we have continued to experience mechanical and equipment issues with the well and have shut in the well. We will continue to assess the situation and will update the market once further information is available.

Lempuyang Testing Analysis

While the test results have not allowed a complete assessment of the Lempuyang-1 well thus far, AED is still encouraged by the results to date, including:

• identification of mobile gas in the two target intervals;
• gas produced to surface; and
• interpretation of a drainage area consistent with geological mapping supporting the trap integrity and structural interpretation of the Lempuyang prospect. 

Phase-2 Exploration update 

AED remains optimistic that the southern area remains a significant exploration objective. A recent evaluation of the Vertical Seismic Profile (VSP) data from the Lempuyang-1 well has shown that two potential reservoir horizons below the Total Depth of the well have not been intersected and remain untested. The recently acquired aerial gravity and magnetic survey over Block L highlights potential updip prospectivity east of our current 3D seismic.

We intend to focus on acquiring seismic over the Jerudong Field with the potential for oil development.


Phase 2 Work Program, 2011

In addition to the current testing program, AED currently anticipates that the following exploration activity will occur at Block L in the near term:

• Seismic acquisition at West Jerudong. AED plans to capitalize on the current high oil prices by shooting 130km2 3D seismic over the Jerudong oil field. This field was previously produced and shut-in without being fully depleted. The area has only limited 2D seismic coverage and AED intends to acquire 3D seismic to delineate additional potential oil pools.
• A 3D seismic patch (13km2) and 2D seismic line (13km) east of the Lempuyang-1 well will be acquired to confirm structural rollover, as a precursor to a contingent extension to the 3D seismic program of up to 150km2.

The Block L Joint Venture is made up of AED SEA (50% operating interest), Kulczyk Oil Ventures (40%) and QAF Brunei (10%).

Strike Preps for Testing at Sadie Well

Strike Preps for Testing at Sadie Well

Thursday, March 31, 2011
Strike Energy Ltd.

Strike advised that production casing has been set in preparation for testing at the Sadie-1 well at the onshore Homeplace prospect in the Gulf Coast, Texas, USA.

Gas shows encountered while drilling and subsequent wireline logging indicate potential gas pay intervals in the main Wilcox Formation objective.

The current plan is to test the well direct to sales. Options to tie into nearby pipelines are currently being investigated. It is anticipated that pipeline installation and scheduling of fraccing equipment will enable testing to commence in two to three months.

The Homeplace prospect in the Wilcox Formation, in which Strike holds a 40% working interest, has a prospective gas resource of 15-20 billion cubic feet (Bcf). The prospect has the potential to more than double the Company’s growing gas and condensate reserves.

Statoil Preps NCS Fast-Track Projects for Production

Statoil Preps NCS Fast-Track Projects for Production

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Statoil

 

This will be the year Statoil is planning and realizing several fast-track developments on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). Two new projects are being launched these days, namely Gamma/Harepus and Snorre B template.

A plan for development and operation (PDO) of Gamma/Harepus is to be submitted in first quarter 2012, allowing production start-up in the fourth quarter of 2013, at the same time as the Snorre B template.

"The time has really come to industrialize the NCS by moving faster from concept to development," said Ivar Aasheim, head of the field development cluster of Development and Production Norway (DPN).

An active year

"We have come a long way in one year," he said.
"The concept has been established, deliveries with long delivery time have been secured for the first projects, construction of modules has started, and new candidates are continuously being included in our portfolio. We aim to have close to five fields in operation at the turn of the year 2012/2013 and to maintain this level in the years ahead."

After submitting the PDO for Visund South in January the list of planned fast-track projects is as follows: Visund South, Katla, Vigdis North-East, Gygrid, Fossekall and Dompap, Vilje South, Visund North, Gamma/Harepus and Snorre B template.

Unique position

"We have a unique position on the NCS as operator of a large part of the infrastructure in the established areas, allowing us to establish robust and profitable solutions for marginal fields that would otherwise not have been developed," underlined Aasheim. “But this requires greater awareness of costs and standardized solutions."

"This is the beginning of a new era on the NCS, as we move from large and tailored solutions to standardized solutions and work processes to achieve economies of scale," maintained Aasheim.