Offshore staff
TEL AVIV, Israel – Noble Energy has begun drilling the deepwater Leviathan 4 appraisal well offshore Israel, according to partner Delek Group.
Drilling should continue for around four months, at an estimated cost of $110 million, with a planned final drilling depth of 5,300 m (17,388 ft) below sea level. The Leviathan field contains an estimated 16.7 tcf (473 bcm) and extends over a wide area, so further appraisal wells will be needed.
The current well will likely be retained for production drilling under a future development.
Noble and its partners continue to evaluate Woodside Petroleum’s farm-in approach, submitted in September.
Delek estimates the cost of theEnsco 5006’s recent sealing of the Leviathan 2 well at $85 million, with an additional cost of $23 million for surveying and monitoring.
Elsewhere in the Israeli offshore sector, the partners have identified a new gas prospect in the Karish 1 area in the Alon C license.
Analysis of a seismic survey by Netherland Sewell & Associates suggests probable prospective gas resources of 2.02 tcf (57.2 bcm), with a 50% geologic probability of success.
11/29/2012
