Karoon Gas Increases Size of Oil Discovery Offshore Brazil

SYDNEY - Karoon Gas Australia Ltd. Friday raised the size estimate of its Bilby-1 oil discovery off the coast of Brazil, increasing the likelihood of a commercial development.

Further testing has indicated the well has a proven gross oil column of 320 meters and a potential column of 560 meters, up from an initial estimate of 200 meters, Karoon said in a statement.

The net oil-bearing reservoir, or the parts of the column that contain oil, is estimated around 70 meters, with porosity levels, which indicate the oil's ability to flow from rock, up to 23%, Karoon said.

The Australian company has discovered oil in two out of three wells drilled in the Santos Basin, located south of Rio de Janeiro, with joint venture partner Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. Karoon owns 65% of the venture and analysts expect it to sell more of its interest if there is enough oil to underpin a multibillion dollar development.

The Bilby-1 discovery follows the success of the Kangaroo-1 well offshore Brazil. However, the Emu-1 well was a dry hole.

Karoon is planning to test the Kangaroo and Bilby discoveries with appraisal wells.

Copyright (c) 2013 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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Potential Gas Discovery at North Kendang-1

South East Asia-focused Salamander Energy reported Thursday that it has suspended its North Kendang-1 exploration well, offshore Indonesia, as a potential gas discovery.

The NK-1 well – located in the South East Sangatta production sharing contract – was spud by the Ocean General (mid-water semisub) rig on February 10. So far, the well has been drilled to approximately 8,318 feet.

Salamander said the well drilled through a predominantly shale-prone section throughout the Pliocene and – on reaching the first Upper Miocene reservoir target at 8,310 feet – the well took "a significant kick from an influx of high pressure hydrocarbon gas" into the well bore at a wellhead pressure of around 4,000 pounds per square inch.

As a result of encountering high pressure gas, the well experienced what Salamander described as operational challenges that ultimately led to its suspension before evaluating the reservoir section. The gas has been sampled and is being analyzed with initial results pointing to a wet gas, while pressure data indicate a potentially significant column height.

Salamander is reviewing the option to return to NK-1 as part of the current drilling campaign, in order to drill ahead and evaluate the Upper Miocene section.

Salamander Chief Executive John Menzies commented in a statement:

"Finding wet gas at North Kendang is highly encouraging for continued exploration in the North Kutei basin, though further drilling will be required to determine reservoir quality and a range of hydrocarbon volumes. As the well results are integrated into the geological model and technical evaluation continues, we will drill the Bedug prospect with a view to returning to North Kendang thereafter."

Salamander said the Ocean General rig is now being mobilized to the Bontang PSC to drill the Bedug-1 exploration well, the third well in the firm's multi-well program in the North Kutei basin.

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Tullow's Twiga South-1 Discovery Flows at 2,812 bopd

Africa-focused Tullow Oil unveiled results from flow tests at its Twiga South-1 oil discovery in Kenya, which showed a combined flow rate of 2,812 barrels of oil per day (bopd) from three reservoir zones.

In a statement released Thursday, Tullow added that the combined rate has the potential to flow at around 5,200 bopd. However, the company also said that its Ugandan Ondyek-1 exploration well did not encounter hydrocarbons.

Tullow said the Twiga South-1 results provide encouragement for the company's forthcoming testing program at Ngamia-1A on Block 10BB, where four zones are planned to be tested using the Weatherford 804 rig. Testing activities here are expected to begin in March and be complete by the end of May.

Meanwhile, the firm said Ondyek-1 well in Uganda has now been plugged and abandoned after it failed to find hydrocarbons but that it is carrying out further evaluation of the nearby Lyec-1 discovery, with the partners on block EA-1A reevaluating the remaining exploration potential of the area.

Tullow Exploration Director Angus McCoss commented in a statement:

"While it is still early days for our exploration campaign in Kenya, these flow tests results at Twiga South-1 are an important step on the way towards understanding the commercial potential of the two discoveries we have made so far. The Ondyek-1 well in Uganda did not encounter hydrocarbons but has contributed much to our understanding of the limits of the EA-1A block."

Tullow has a 50-percent operated interest in the Twiga South-1 well.

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Tullow's Twiga South-1 Discovery Flows at 2,812 bopd

Africa-focused Tullow Oil unveiled results from flow tests at its Twiga South-1 oil discovery in Kenya, which showed a combined flow rate of 2,812 barrels of oil per day (bopd) from three reservoir zones.

In a statement released Thursday, Tullow added that the combined rate has the potential to flow at around 5,200 bopd. However, the company also said that its Ugandan Ondyek-1 exploration well did not encounter hydrocarbons.

Tullow said the Twiga South-1 results provide encouragement for the company's forthcoming testing program at Ngamia-1A on Block 10BB, where four zones are planned to be tested using the Weatherford 804 rig. Testing activities here are expected to begin in March and be complete by the end of May.

Meanwhile, the firm said Ondyek-1 well in Uganda has now been plugged and abandoned after it failed to find hydrocarbons but that it is carrying out further evaluation of the nearby Lyec-1 discovery, with the partners on block EA-1A reevaluating the remaining exploration potential of the area.

Tullow Exploration Director Angus McCoss commented in a statement:

"While it is still early days for our exploration campaign in Kenya, these flow tests results at Twiga South-1 are an important step on the way towards understanding the commercial potential of the two discoveries we have made so far. The Ondyek-1 well in Uganda did not encounter hydrocarbons but has contributed much to our understanding of the limits of the EA-1A block."

Tullow has a 50-percent operated interest in the Twiga South-1 well.

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Tullow's Twiga South-1 Discovery Flows at 2,812 bopd

Africa-focused Tullow Oil unveiled results from flow tests at its Twiga South-1 oil discovery in Kenya, which showed a combined flow rate of 2,812 barrels of oil per day (bopd) from three reservoir zones.

In a statement released Thursday, Tullow added that the combined rate has the potential to flow at around 5,200 bopd. However, the company also said that its Ugandan Ondyek-1 exploration well did not encounter hydrocarbons.

Tullow said the Twiga South-1 results provide encouragement for the company's forthcoming testing program at Ngamia-1A on Block 10BB, where four zones are planned to be tested using the Weatherford 804 rig. Testing activities here are expected to begin in March and be complete by the end of May.

Meanwhile, the firm said Ondyek-1 well in Uganda has now been plugged and abandoned after it failed to find hydrocarbons but that it is carrying out further evaluation of the nearby Lyec-1 discovery, with the partners on block EA-1A reevaluating the remaining exploration potential of the area.

Tullow Exploration Director Angus McCoss commented in a statement:

"While it is still early days for our exploration campaign in Kenya, these flow tests results at Twiga South-1 are an important step on the way towards understanding the commercial potential of the two discoveries we have made so far. The Ondyek-1 well in Uganda did not encounter hydrocarbons but has contributed much to our understanding of the limits of the EA-1A block."

Tullow has a 50-percent operated interest in the Twiga South-1 well.

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Asha Discovery Estimated to Hold 25-35 MMboe

Bridge Energy, a partner in Production License 457, announced in a press release the increased resource estimates for the 16/1 Asha oil discovery in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. This follows the completion of well operations on 16/1-6 well and the sidetrack well 16/1-16A in January 2013 and further analysis carried out since then.

The Asha discovery encountered good quality oil in excellent reservoirs within the Middle Jurassic Hugin formation and Triassic Skagerrak formation. A preliminary estimate of the size of the Asha discovery is reported to be between 25 and 35 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe) recoverable resources within the license, which excluded potential additional volumes outside the license.

"I am very pleased to announce this positive development on the Asha oil discovery, which shows increased commercial resources situated close to the other significant developments in the area - the Ivar Aasen and Edvard Grieg fields. Asha will make a significant contribution to the total resources within the western Utsira High area," stated Tom Reynolds, CEO of Bridge Energy.

The operator has indicated that the Asha discovery is in direct communication with a large upside volume to the east of the main structure. Based on the updated mapping, it is estimated that the size of the discovery to be between 30 and 100 MMboe of recoverable resources within license PL 457. Bridge stated that these estimates exclude potential additional volumes in neighboring licenses - estimated to be of a similar order of magnitude.

Further appraisal of the discovery is being considered by the consortium.

With more than 10 years of journalism experience, Robin Dupre specializes in the offshore sector of the oil and gas industry. Email Robin at rdupre@rigzone.com.

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Asha Discovery Estimated to Hold 25-35 MMboe

Bridge Energy, a partner in Production License 457, announced in a press release the increased resource estimates for the 16/1 Asha oil discovery in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. This follows the completion of well operations on 16/1-6 well and the sidetrack well 16/1-16A in January 2013 and further analysis carried out since then.

The Asha discovery encountered good quality oil in excellent reservoirs within the Middle Jurassic Hugin formation and Triassic Skagerrak formation. A preliminary estimate of the size of the Asha discovery is reported to be between 25 and 35 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe) recoverable resources within the license, which excluded potential additional volumes outside the license.

"I am very pleased to announce this positive development on the Asha oil discovery, which shows increased commercial resources situated close to the other significant developments in the area - the Ivar Aasen and Edvard Grieg fields. Asha will make a significant contribution to the total resources within the western Utsira High area," stated Tom Reynolds, CEO of Bridge Energy.

The operator has indicated that the Asha discovery is in direct communication with a large upside volume to the east of the main structure. Based on the updated mapping, it is estimated that the size of the discovery to be between 30 and 100 MMboe of recoverable resources within license PL 457. Bridge stated that these estimates exclude potential additional volumes in neighboring licenses - estimated to be of a similar order of magnitude.

Further appraisal of the discovery is being considered by the consortium.

With more than 10 years of journalism experience, Robin Dupre specializes in the offshore sector of the oil and gas industry. Email Robin at rdupre@rigzone.com.

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ENI Makes Oil Discovery in Egypt's Western Desert

Italy's ENI announced Wednesday that it has made a new oil discovery at its Rosa North 1X well located in the Meleiha Concession in the Western Desert of Egypt.

Part of ENI's strategy to refocus exploration activities in the country by targeting deeper oil plays in the Western Desert, the well encountered a total oil pay of around 250 feet in multiple good-quality sandstones of the Bahariya, Alam El Bueib, Khatatba and Ras Qattara reservoirs. Oil flowed from these reservoirs at between 43 and 48 API at "very good rates", said the company.

ENI said it plans to develop the discovery by drilling at least two more wells in 2013. Production for each well is estimated at 2,000 barrels of oil per day.

Production at the Rosa North Field is expected to reach 5,000 bopd during the first 12 months, and will be delivered to the nearby processing facilities of the Meleiha field.

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Rodriguez Well Makes 'Significant' Gas Condensate Discovery

Faroe Petroleum and the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate reported Thursday that it a significant gas condensate discovery has been confirmed at the secondary target of the Rodriguez exploration well in the Norwegian Sea. Faroe reported that the operator's preliminary volumetric estimates of the size of the discovery are between 19 and 126 million barrels of recoverable oil equivalent.

The 6407/1-6S exploration well, which is on the PL475 license operated by Wintershall Norge, was drilled around 2.5 miles northeast of the Tyrihans field and about five miles southeast of the 6406/3-8 oil/gas discovery, the NPD said.

Faroe said that the 6407/1-6S well is the first exploration well to be drilled on the Rodriguez license and that further appraisal will be required to establish the lateral extent and size of the discovery.

"We are very pleased to announce this gas condensate discovery on the secondary target of this Norwegian Sea exploration well. This significant discovery gives the partnership a good indication of further upside potential on the rest of the licence block with at least two further matured and partially de-risked prospects and we look forward to its further appraisal," Faroe Petroleum Chief Executive Graham Stewart commented in a company statement.

"We have an active 2013 exploration drilling programme which includes several high impact exploration wells including Darwin (Barents Sea), Novus (Norwegian Sea) and two Butch wells (Norwegian North Sea)."

The well was drilled by the Transocean Arctic (mid-water semisub) rig, which the NPD said will now proceed to production license 418 in the northern part of the North Sea to drill appraisal well 35/9-8.

A former engineer, Jon is an award-winning editor who has covered the technology, engineering and energy sectors since the mid-1990s. Email Jon at jmainwaring@rigzone.com.

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