Ophir makes gas discovery offshore Indonesia

Dec. 7, 2018
Ophir Energy has issued an update on its recent drilling activity offshore Indonesia and Thailand.

Offshore staff

LONDON– Ophir Energy has issued an update on its recent drilling activity offshore Indonesia and Thailand.

ThePaus Biru-1 exploration well in the Sampang PSC offshore Indonesia has resulted in a gas discovery. The well was drilled to a total measured depth (MD) of 710 m (2,340 ft) and encountered 29 m (95 ft) of estimated net pay within the target Mundu formation carbonate reservoir.

A drillstem test taken over an interval between 576 and 605 m (1,890 and 1,985 ft) MD flowed gas at a rate of 11.2 MMscf/d sustained over a 5-hour period through a 64/64-in. choke and at 525 psig wellhead pressure. The well was shut in for nine days for pressure build up before a maximum flow test which produced 13.8 MMscf/d through a 120/64-in. choke for 55 minutes.

The well has been P&A’d as a gas discovery and plan of development will now be prepared for submission to the regulator for approval.

The Paus Biru discovery is about 27 km (17 mi) east of the producing Oyong gas field, which is also in the Sampang PSC. The approved budget for Paus Biru-1 well was $15 million.

Ophir, through its affiliate company, has 45% participating interest and is the operator of the Sampang PSC.

In the Gulf of Thailand, the first part of thePhase 4 Bualuang development drilling program has been completed. Four workovers and three new production wells were drilled, all of which have been brought onstream. Production from Bualuang averaged 9,600 b/d of oil in November against a year to date average of 8,000 b/d.

A step out exploration well to test a small target to the north of the Bualuang field was drilled as part of the drilling campaign but the main T2 reservoir target was not well developed in this location and the well has been abandoned as a dry hole.

The total cost of the drilling campaign was $25 million versus budget of $31 million.

Interim CEO Alan Booth said: “This is a strong endorsement of theassets acquired from Santos earlier this year. Paus Biru is an example of the attractive near field exploration opportunities within the Sampang and Madura PSCs. Such discoveries can be highly valuable as they deliver both fresh production volumes and extend the economic life of the fields already in production.”

12/07/2018