Partners submit next-phase drilling plans for Zama offshore Mexico

May 17, 2018
The Talos Energy-led partnership has submitted an appraisal program for the shallow-water Zama discovery in block 7 offshore Mexico to government authorities.

Offshore staff

LONDON – The Talos Energy-led partnership has submitted an appraisal program for the shallow-water Zama discovery in block 7 offshore Mexico to Mexican government authorities.

According to partner Premier Oil, they plan to drill back-to-back wells and one side track to confirm the oil-water contact, as defined by the seismic flat spot, and to prove the detailed distribution of the reservoir. The well should spud in 4Q.

PEMEX is also negotiating for a rig for the Asab-1 well which will test the extent of the Zama discovery into an adjacent block.

In March, Premier secured interests in three new blocks underMexico’s Round 3.1 - block 30 in the Sureste basin and blocks 11 and 13 in the Burgos basin.

Plans for block 30 include 3D seismic acquisition and reprocessing of existing 3D seismic across the Wahoo prospect, which exhibits direct hydrocarbon indicators, and which is thought to be analogous to Zama.

In the Burgos basin, the company will commission an environmental base line study across its two blocks prior to reprocessing existing seismic data during 2019.

Elsewhere, Brazil’s regulatory authority ANP has approved a revised well plan for block 717 (Premier, 50% operator) in the offshore Ceara basin, comprising a single deeper dual-target well to test the Berimbau and deeper Maraca prospects.

This replaces the original two-well commitment. Premier expects drilling to get under way during the first half of 2020 as part of a joint well program on block 661 (where the company has a 30% interest) targeting the Itarema/Tatajuba prospects. The two wells will test combined potential resources of more than 500 MMbbl.

In the Asia/Pacific region, Premier recently initiated a well intervention program at the Chim Sao field offshore Vietnam to perforate new production zones in existing wells to stem natural decline.

And in Indonesia, first steel has been cut for deck extensions at the Batam fabrication yard for the company’sBIG-P development in the Natuna Sea.

BIG-P, due onstream next year, will help backfill the company’s gas supply contracts to Singapore while also sustaining production from Natuna Sea block A.

Last month, the company signed a PSC for theAndaman II license in the North Sumatra basin offshore Aceh. It has identified numerous prospects and leads which exhibit direct hydrocarbon indicators on existing 2D seismic across the license.

Forward plans include acquiring 3D seismic later this year to work up these prospects ahead of the next phase of the license, with drilling likely to start in 2021.

05/17/2018