Wellbore issues halt Keskesi-East drilling offshore Suriname

March 10, 2021
Total and partner APA Corp. have decided to conclude operations on the Keskesi East-1 oil discovery well on block 58 offshore Suriname.

Offshore staff

HOUSTON – Total and partner APA Corp. (formerly Apache Corp.) have decided to conclude operations on the Keskesi East-1 oil discovery well on block 58 offshore Suriname.

The well encountered oil, volatile oil and condensate in Upper Cretaceous Campanian and Santonian intervals, and was subsequently deepened toward deeper Neocomian-aged targets.

However, as drilling progressed, pressure increases developed that could have exceeded the capabilities of the wellbore design and pressure control equipment.

Prior to reaching the Neocomian targets, the partners decided to call a halt.  They now plan to use the well data to design a suitable wellbore for a safe test in future of the deeper targets.

APA added that Keskesi East-1 also encountered hydrocarbons in the Lower Cretaceous interval and a carbonate depositional system above the top Neocomian target.

But while this helped to validate geologic models, no data came to light on the Neocomian targets themselves.

As planned, the drillship Noble Sam Croft will be released.

03/10/2021