Noble Energy flow tests Dalit discovery offshore Israel

April 15, 2009
Noble Energy has successfully tested the Dalit natural gas discovery in the Michal license offshore Israel.

Offshore staff

HOUSTON -- Noble Energy has successfully tested the Dalit natural gas discovery in the Michal license offshore Israel. Of the previously reported 110 ft (34 m) of net pay identified, testing procedures were performed over a limited 43-ft (13-m) section of the reservoir. The tests, which yielded a flow rate of 33 MMcf/d of natural gas, were limited by testing equipment available on the rig, the company says. Performance modeling indicates the well can be ultimately completed to achieve a production rate of about 200 MMcf/d. Based on log and test results, Dalit is estimated to contain gross mean resources of approximately 500 bcf of natural gas.

The rig will immediately return to the Tamar discovery in the Matan license to drill an appraisal well designed to better define the resources of Tamar. The current estimated gross mean resource potential of Tamar is 5 tcf of natural gas.

"Even though Dalit is smaller than Tamar, the discovery of this high quality reservoir adds important natural gas resources for development and gives us further confidence that our geologic model for this region is working very well," says Charles D. Davidson, Noble Energy's chairman, president, and CEO. "We expect to begin acquiring 3D seismic during the next several months to supplement our understanding of this basin and the various leads on our acreage."

04/15/2009