Alen lined up for EG field tie-in

Offshore staff

STOCKHOLM -- Noble Energy has completed drilling of three producer wells and three water injectors on its Aseng field development in block I off Equatorial Guinea.

The Pride South Pacific is performing this program. According to partner PA Resources (PAR), the first water injector allowed Noble to study the underlying sand formation in the Sofia structure by deepening the first pilot well and drilling a sidetrack.

In July a second rig, Atwood Hunter, arrived at the field from Ghana. It will remain on location through year-end to complete the remaining wells.

Currently, two further producers are being drilled, and two exploration wells will be converted to gas injectors.

The Aseng field FPSO is under construction in Kuala Lumpur. It will have capacity to produce 80,000 b/d of oil and to re-inject 170 MMcf/d of gas. Over time, it will also take production of oil and condensate from the nearby Alen (ex-Belinda) and Diega fields.

PAR says Noble has submitted a development plan for Alen field to Equatorial Guinea's government for approval. This was the second of four discoveries on block I after Aseng - the planned development comprises one production well and one injector, with Alen’s gas being re-injected into the Aseng field after its produced oil has been recovered.

Offshore Republic of Congo, PAR expects operator Murphy Oil to complete development of the Azurite during the first quarter of 2011. Recently, a fourth production well was brought on line, with two more producers due to come on stream by year-end, followed early next year by the two remaining injectors.

PAR adds that evaluation continues of the Turquoise oil discovery on the Mer Profond Sud licence, with two appraisal wells about to be drilled.

The selected development will depend on the size of the reserves, which could either be taken through existing infrastructure on the Azurite field, or produced via a standalone development.

On completion of the Turquoise wells, the rig will transfer to the nearby Cobalt strcuture.

Finally, on the Marine XIV licence (operator SOCO International), PAR expects exploration drilling of the Makoula structure to start later this year or early in 2011, using a semisubmersible rig.

10/27/2010