Asia/Pacific

Peter Tang
Singapore

Elf drilling E/D in Brunei's Block B

In Block B in the Baram Delta Basin, Elf spudded exploration/delineation well Maharaja Lela-3 on 9 May using the Sedco 600 semisubmersible in 63 meters of water. The upper part of the hole is considered exploratory, while the lower part will appraise the previous discoveries on the structure. PTD of the well, which is currently at the 9 5/8-inch casing point, is 3,906 meters. Maharaja Lela-1 flowed 5,000 b/d oil, 4,500 b/d condensates, and 48 million cf/d gas in 1990, while the 1992 appraisal of Maharaja Lela-2 tested a cumulative rate of over 5,000 b/d oil.

Burma wildcat proves non-commercial for Total

In Block KM-6 in the Gulf of Martaban, Total plugged and abandoned wildcat M-6-A-1 as a non-commercial gas discovery on 3 June. The well was drilled to a TD of 4,069 meters and one DST was conducted across a carbonate interval in which good gas shows were recorded, but no significant volumes were recovered to the surface. The Parameswara jackup was then moved to M-5, where it spudded appraisal BDM-2 on 7 June. After reaching a TD of 1,100 meters, the logging run confirmed the presence of a gas column, although no DSTs were run. The well was plugged and abandoned as a gas well in mid-June and the rig moved to M-6 to spud M-6-D-1.

Cambodian dry hole disappointment to all

Using Canadian Marine's Canmar Explorer III, Enterprise spudded wildcat Preah Khan-1 in 68 meters of water in Block 2 on 23 May. The well was drilled to an undisclosed TD in pre-Tertiary sediments before being plugged and abandoned dry in late June. It is understood that no DSTs were conducted. The result of the well will come as a major disappointment to Enterprise, its partners and the Cambodians, all of which held high hopes for the structure.

Chalk up another for Kerr McGee in Bohai

In the Bohai Gulf, Kerr McGee has announced that wildcat CFD 2-1-1 in PSCA 04/36 has successfully flowed hydrocarbons from a Cambro-Ordovician carbonate section. The well TD'd at 3,595 meters and then flowed 1,800 b/d oil from DST#1 and 5,957 b/d plus 1.85 million cf/d gas from DST#2. DST#3 and #4 failed to flow, while #5 recovered only a small amount of oil. Operations were completed on 17 June and the Bohai 4 rig moved to PSCA 11/05 to spud Phillips' BZ 22-2-1 wildcat.

New oil found in Malaysia/Thailand JDA

In the PM-3 Commercial Area in the Malay Basin, IPC's Bunga Raya-2 was completed as an oil and gas well in late June after reaching an undisclosed TD. The well was spudded on 5 May using Atwood's Hunter semisubmersible and was targeting Upper Oligocene to Middle Miocene sandstones on the upthrown side of the Bunga Raya-1 discovery. Bunga Raya-2 intersected all potential reservoirs below 1,524 meters to TD, with the first three DSTs flowing at a combined rate of over 10,000 b/d oil plus 20 million cf/d gas. The results of two more DSTs were not made public, but IPC did announce that the combined flow from Bunga Raya-2 was 10,304 b/d of 39-40 API oil, 1,224 b/d of 55 API condensate, and 100 million cf/d gas.

New Vietnam discoveries spark renewed explorations

Several new discoveries have been reported recently. Petronas's 01-A-1X (Diamond-1) in Block 1 in the Mekong Basin was plugged and abandoned as an oil discovery in mid-June. The well had been spudded on 8 March using the Sedco 703 semisubmersible and was drilled to a TD of 4,125 meters, prior to commencing a testing program. DST #1 in a basement section failed to flow, while DST #2 tested 1,200 b/d oil plus gas from Oligocene sandstones. In a Miocene sandstone interval, DST #3 failed to flow, but following nitrogen lift, DST #3A flowed approximately 2,800 b/d.

In Block 46 of the Malay Basin, Fina's 46-DD-1X (Dam Doi-1X) flowed 3,000 b/d oil and 22 million cf/d gas from two Miocene intervals, after being drilled to a TD of 2,438 meters using Reading and Bates' Jim Cunningham semisubmersible. The well, which had been spudded on 12 May, was plugged and abandoned as an oil and gas discovery in late June.

Pedco's 11-2-RN-1RX (Rong Nai-1) in Block 11-2 in the South Con Son Basin was plugged and abandoned as a gas well in mid-June, after reaching a TD of approximately 4,239 meters. No DSTs were run but approximately 66 meters of net pay is believed to have been encountered, although it is in multiple thin intervals and hence of little economic interest.

JVPC's third appraisal on the Rang Dong prospect in Block 15-2 in the Mekong Basin, 15-2-RD-4X, was spudded on 5 April using JDC's Hakuryu-5 semisubmersible in 59 meters of water. It had a PTD of 3,520 meters with objectives of Miocene and Oligocene sandstones plus basement and was completed as an oil well in early June.

Thailand awards Andaman Sea blocks

Operator Unocal (46.33%), with partners Total (33.33%) and Statoil (20%), has been awarded two blocks in the Andaman Sea as a result of the 14th Thai Licensing Round. W8/38 in the East Mergui Basin and W9/38 over the West Mergui Basin and Mergui Ridge, cover 23,378 sq meters and 25,429 sq meters respectively and were both awarded on 19 June. Both PSCs are for a six-year exploration period, comprised of two three-year phases with a 50% part relinquishment required at the end of year four. In W8/38, the work commitment is for 5,000 km of 2D seismic and two wells (at a projected cost of US$17.3 million) during the first phase, while in W9/38, 5,000 km of 2D seismic only is required.