Imperial: Sidetrack Operations Underway at Green Tide SWDF

- Imperial: Sidetrack Operations Underway at Green Tide SWDF

Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Imperial Resources Inc.

Imperial Resources announced that the sidetrack operation to deepen the disposal well at the Company's Green Tide Salt Water Disposal Facility ("SWDF") is underway and on track.

Operations are progressing well and costs are generally as anticipated. A whipstock was set and a window milled in the casing at approximately 2,865 feet. The sidetrack was initiated as expected and the new well bore drilled ahead, turning to 3 degrees from vertical, so as to establish a clear separation from the existing hole.

The drilling program is designed to establish a horizontal separation of approximately 100 feet from the lower section of the redundant well bore after turning vertical. As of 18:30 hours on August 15, 2011 the well was at 3,552 feet drilling ahead toward the target formation at a rate of approximately 30 feet per hour with the aim of casing the bottom 1,000 feet of the well to at least 500 feet into the Ellenburger formation. The well is then expected to be drilled ahead by a large workover rig to ideally create about 2,000 feet of open hole exposure in the Ellenburger so as to maximize disposal capacity.

Subject to success, commercial disposal operations are expected to start immediately targeting full disposal capacity of 15,000 barrels per day as quickly as possible. At full capacity, the Company believes the Green Tide SWDF has the potential to generate significant cash flow at relatively low operating costs.

Tom Barr, Director of Imperial, commented, "I am delighted that Imperial's rigorous approach to the sidetrack has been vindicated and this phase of the well deepening operation appears to be successful. Once drilling is complete our aim is to deliver a best-in-class disposal business to service the strong demand in the immediate area."

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Lundin Finds Success with Avaldsnes Sidetrack

- Lundin Finds Success with Avaldsnes Sidetrack

Monday, July 18, 2011
Lundin Petroleum

Lundin Norway AS (Lundin Norway) a wholly owned subsidiary of Lundin Petroleum AB (Lundin Petroleum) has completed the sidetrack well 16/3-4A of the first appraisal well 16/3-4 on the Avaldsnes discovery in PL501 on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). A comprehensive data acquisition and sampling program has been acquired from the sidetrack well.

The objective of the sidetrack well 16/3-4A was to confirm lateral reservoir continuity and sand quality to the west of the first appraisal well. The results from the sidetrack well shows good lateral continuity of the reservoir with a proved oil column in excess of 4 meters with excellent quality sands.

The well 16/3-4A was drilled to a vertical depth of 1,934 meters below sea level using the drilling rig Bredford Dolphin. The rig will now move on to drill the second appraisal well, 16/2-7 over the Avaldsnes discovery.

Ashley Heppenstall, President and CEO of Lundin Petroleum comments ' The results of the first Avalsdnes appraisal well and subsequent sidetrack are very positive having proven the lateral continuity of the Upper Jurassic Draupne reservoir with high porosity and permeability. Whilst the reservoir thickness across the Avalsdnes structure will be variable we now have a higher degree of confidence that the part of the structure previously assumed to be non hydrocarbon bearing will in fact be covered by Upper Jurassic hydrocarbon bearing reservoir. '

Lundin Norway is the operator with 40 percent interest. Partners are Statoil Petroleum AS with 40 percent interest and Mærsk Oil Norway with 20 percent.

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Bowleven's Sapele Sidetrack Tests Positive Offshore Cameroon

- Bowleven's Sapele Sidetrack Tests Positive Offshore Cameroon

Thursday, June 09, 2011
BowLeven plc

Bowleven announced the results of testing activities at the Sapele-1ST appraisal well drilling in the Douala Basin, offshore Cameroon. Drill stem testing was performed within the Deep Omicron interval at Sapele-1ST and a light oil flowed on test.

Highlights

• Stabilized flow rate of 3,101 boepd produced on test at Sapele-1ST
• High quality light oil (39.2 degree API) produced on test; oil quality and gas-oil ratio comparable to that encountered at the original Sapele-1 well
• Testing program underway at Sapele-2

Sapele-1ST update

The principal objective of Sapele-1ST was to appraise the Deep Omicron oil discovery encountered in the Sapele-1 exploration well.

As previously announced, the Sapele-1ST well encountered log evaluated net pay conservatively estimated to be approximately 10 meters within the Deep Omicron interval, based on conventional wireline logs. The well was drilled to a TVD of 3,634 meters (4,483 meters measured depth) in water depths of around 25 meters approximately 2 kilometers south east of the Deep Omicron oil discovery in the original Sapele-1 vertical well.

Drill stem testing at Sapele-1ST was conducted over a 71 meter perforated interval. The interval flowed at a stabilized rate of 2,023 bopd of 39.2 degree API oil and approximately 6.47 mmscfd of associated gas on a 56/64 inch choke.

The interval tested at Sapele-1ST correlates on seismic with the equivalent Deep Omicron interval drilled by the original Sapele-1 well, where better developed sands were encountered. The Sapele-1 well had a confirmed oil pressure gradient at Deep Omicron and oil samples were obtained during logging activities. The oil quality, gas-oil ratio and pressures measured on test at Sapele-1ST are comparable to the samples and pressures taken at Sapele-1.

Forward plan

Due to the stratigraphic nature of the Omicron discoveries further analysis and appraisal is required to delineate the fields and to assess the implications for resource estimates and potential development options for these discoveries. The productivity demonstrated by the Deep Omicron test at Sapele-1ST is a key step forward. In addition, a testing program is ongoing at Sapele-2, drilled to appraise both the Lower and Deep Omicron discoveries, and the results from this will be integral to this process.

As planned the Noble Tommy Craighead rig is being released after Sapele-1ST testing for a mandatory recertification process.

An update announcement and conference call are planned on completion of the full test program at Sapele-2, which is expected in around two to three weeks. Further announcements on drilling activities will be made as appropriate.

Kevin Hart, Chief Executive of Bowleven plc, commented, "Bowleven is delighted to announce its first oil flow test in the Douala Basin, offshore Cameroon, at Sapele-1ST. The flow rates produced at Sapele-1ST are believed to be commercial. These are highly encouraging, particularly so given that better sand development was encountered in the original Sapele-1 well at the equivalent level, with good indications of comparability between the two. While further appraisal is required to fully understand the resource potential, we are encouraged by the result and the likelihood of a commercial development at Sapele given the shallow water depths. Our acreage in Cameroon shows increasing potential as we focus on our dual strategy of targeting high impact exploration potential in the Douala Basin and converting resources to reserves."

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Otto to Commence Abandonment Ops at Duhat Sidetrack

- Otto to Commence Abandonment Ops at Duhat Sidetrack

Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Otto Energy Ltd.

Otto provided the following update on the progress of the Duhat-1A sidetrack well, located in the Philippines.

Since the last update, the well was drilled to 321 m TVD (True Vertical Depth) in the 12 ¼” section before becoming stuck, again due to unstable hole conditions (similar to those experienced in the Duhat-1 nearby well).

The well was subsequently plugged back to 200 m TVD and abandonment operations have commenced.

Information obtained during drilling from both Duhat-1 and the Duhat-1A sidetrack are very encouraging. In both wells, high general background gas levels have been observed during drilling, consistent with the presence of an oil generative area. These high gas levels, in formations of relatively weak rock strength coupled with unexpected shallow overpressure in the Miocene Tagnocot interval require further study prior to the recommencement of exploration in the block.

Drilling further ahead in Duhat-1A is now considered to be imprudent on safety grounds and abandonment is now in progress.
Otto Energy Ltd and its partners in SC-51 are excited by the geotechnical results of this initial drilling campaign and further work will be programmed once the data from recent operations have been fully analyzed.

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Tellus Sidetrack Delivers Additional Oil Pay for Lundin

- Tellus Sidetrack Delivers Additional Oil Pay for Lundin

Thursday, May 19, 2011
Lundin Petroleum AB

Lundin Norway AS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lundin Petroleum AB (Lundin Petroleum), operator of PL338, has completed the sidetrack well 16/1-15A on the Tellus prospect.

The objective of well 16/1-15A was to further appraise the Tellus discovery located in Block PL338. The well proved a 50 meter oil column including a thin lower Cretaceous sandstone with excellent reservoir quality overlaying fractured basement.

The initial gross contingent resource range for the Tellus discovery is estimated at between 11 to 55 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe) of which approximately 90 percent is oil. This contingent resource range has been independently audited by Gaffney Cline and Associates (GCA). The Tellus discovery will be included in the Luno development program.

Well 16/1-15A was drilled to a vertical depth of 1,986 meters below the sea level using the semi-submersible drilling rig Bredford Dolphin.

Lundin Petroleum is the operator of PL338 with 50 percent interest. Partners are Wintershall Norge ASA with 30 percent and RWE Dea Norge AS with 20 percent interest.

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EnCore Sidetrack Delivers Additional Pay

EnCore Sidetrack Delivers Additional Pay

Monday, March 28, 2011
EnCore Oil plc

by  SubseaIQ

 

EnCore announced that the Burgman side-track well 28/9-4z located on UKCS Central North Sea Block 28/9 has successfully encountered hydrocarbons in the targeted Lower Tay sandstone interval.

The well was drilled directionally with a hole angle up to 64 degrees to a Total Depth of 5,237 feet Measured Depth (M.D.). Initial analysis indicates net oil pay of 135 feet over a gross reservoir interval of 135 feet (M.D.), equivalent to 64 feet of net vertical oil pay over gross vertical interval of 64 feet True Vertical Thickness. Preliminary log analysis indicates an average porosity of 38%, significantly better than in the original Burgman well. Initial estimates suggest a likely STOOIP in the range of 80 - 120 mmbbls.

This result now concludes the current drilling program on Block 28/9 and following completion of this well, the Transocean GSF Galaxy II heavy duty jack-up rig will be demobilized. The Galaxy II has drilled three successful wells during this drilling campaign, resulting in two substantial discoveries at Varadero and Burgman, and an appraisal of Catcher North.

Commenting on the result, Alan Booth, EnCore's Chief Executive Officer, said, "This is an excellent result and supports the partnership's geophysical model for the identification of Tay sands over the Burgman structure. The sand thickness and quality was very much at the upper end of our pre side-track expectations. The confirmation of another important discovery in the license is a fitting end to this phase of drilling. On behalf of EnCore I would like to thank our co-venturers for their help and support and look forward to continuing to work with them as we progress further appraisal and development work on the Block. We would also like to thank ADTI, Transocean and all the offshore crew and service providers that helped deliver a safe and successful drilling program. EnCore is now looking forward to the results of drilling at Cladhan, which we hope will be within the next 10 days or so.
 
"I would like to take this opportunity to make some general comments, not specific to our discoveries in the Catcher area, on the recent fiscal changes announced in the budget. The EnCore team have been directly involved in the discovery of a number of the UK's most important recent oil and gas fields, one of which now accounts for more than 10% of current UK oil production, and so we recognize the need to encourage the discovery and ultimately the production of the UK's indigenous resources.

"Whilst unexpected tax changes are never welcome, given the current state of the nation's finances, one can at least rationalize the desire to raise revenues from fields that have already paid back their risked investments during a time of very high oil prices. However, failure to encourage the discovery of new fields as well as the development of newer, smaller and difficult fields on fair and predictable fiscal terms is in no one's interest. Undeveloped and undiscovered oil and gas pays no taxes, creates and sustains no employment and a slowdown in UKCS activity will simply increase the UK's reliance on imported oil and gas from less politically stable, if not as fiscally unpredictable, parts of the globe. I welcome the Government's indication that it is prepared to discuss with the industry the enhancement and broadening of the recently introduced Field Allowances which I believe, if properly structured, could mitigate the effects of these changes and continue to incentivise those companies who wish to continue to invest in finding and developing the UK's offshore natural resources."

The equity in the Block 28/9 joint venture partnership is as follows: EnCore Oil plc (15 percent., Operator), Premier Oil (35 percent.), Wintershall (UK North Sea) Limited (20 percent.), Nautical Petroleum (15 percent.) and Agora Oil & Gas (15 percent.).