COPL outlines phased development plan for Noa offshore Nigeria

Jan. 29, 2019
Canadian Overseas Petroleum Ltd. expects to drill its first appraisal well on the Noa field in the OPL 226 lease offshore Nigeria by mid-2019.

Offshore staff

CALGARY, CanadaCanadian Overseas Petroleum Ltd. (COPL) expects to drill its first appraisal well on the Noa field in the OPL 226 lease offshore Nigeria by mid-2019.

An extended well test will be the next step via an early production system, followed by drilling of up to three more, similar wells on the Noa structure, all coming onstream by the end of 2020.

Thereafter, COPL aims to progress to a full-field development.

OPL 226 covers 1,530 sq km (591 sq mi), 50 km (31 mi) from the Nigerian coast in water depths of 40-180 m (131-590 ft). It also surrounds OML 83 which contains the Anyala oil and gas field discovered by Texaco in 1972.

Five wells have been drilled to date on the lease, including Oyoma-1 and Dubagbene-1 later in 1972, which respectively delivered 36.2 m (119 ft) of net oil and gas pay and 8.2 m (27 ft) net oil pay.

The Nduri-1 well in 1973 encountered 9 m (29 ft) of net gas pay, with HJ South-1 in 1988 intersecting 8.5 m (28 ft) of net gas pay. The fifth well drilled was the Noa-1 discovery well in 2001, operated by Solgas.

All wells drilled prior to 2001 were based on analysis of 2D seismic lines.

Essar Exploration and Production Ltd. (Nigeria) (EEPLN) was awarded the license in 2010, completing acquisition of a new 568-sq km (219-sq mi) 3D seismic survey in 2012.

ShoreCan has since undertaken a seismic inversion and interpretation project incorporating rock physics analysis of the long offset 2012 survey.

The proposed drilling plan comprises appraisal of the Noa East lobe and the Noa West lobe, the location of Noa-1.

Development will be based on one horizontal production well and three deviated producers, with a spare well slot contingent on reservoir performance. Discussions continue with various offshore service providers on providing project financing and accompanying services.

Under the first phase the targeted production rate for each of the wells will be 6,000-10,000 b/d.

COPL’s initial appraisal proposal focuses solely on the area around Noa-1. A potential next phase appraisal/development plan covering Noa East, Noa North and Noa Northeast could include drilling of up to 28 additional producers, three gas injectors and five water injectors, with more robust surface and subsurface facilities.

01/29/2019