Peter Tang
Singapore
Chinese activity focuses on northwest South China Sea
Arco's long running YC 35-1 #2 exploration well in PSCA 63/28 was plugged and abandoned dry on September 1st after nearly six months on location. the West Alpha rig was then moved to PSCA 52/12 to spud wildcat LS 15-1 #1 on 17 September. This well is currently operating at a depth of 2,341 meters. Meanwhile, in PSCA 63/20, wildcat YC26-1 #1 is now operating at a depth of 5,605 meters, making it the deepest well to have been drilled in the basin.
COOBC abandoned appraisal well QHD 32-6 #2 on 4 September after it tested a maximum of 656 b/d of 27° API oil. Following this on 9 September, second appraisal QHD 32-6 #3 was spudded using the Bohai 4. The well has reportedly intersected over 20 oil-bearing sands on its way to a TD of 2,010 meters and is currently operating.
In the Wei Xi Nan Sag area of the Beibu Gulf, CONHW spudded wildcat WZ 10-3W 31 on 22 September using the Bohai 8 jackup. the well is located on a separate prospect to the southwest of the WZ 10-3 and 10-3N Fields and is currently drilling ahead at 800 meters, toward a PTD of 2,330 meters.
CNOOC and the ACT Operators Group have signed an agreement to form a new joint operating body for PSCA 16/08 in the Pearl River Mouth. From 1 January 1996, CNOOC will join ACT in a new group to be called CACT, to operate the HZ 21-1, 26-1, 32-2, and 32-3 Fields in the Pearl River Mouth.
Indonesia's West Natuna KG well and Irian Jaya's Wiriagar
In the Kakap PSC in the West Natuna Basin, Marathon successfully suspended the KG #5AX hole as an oil well on 11 August. The well was not tested. After spudding on 18 July using the Deepsea Duchess drillship, KG #5AX was drilled to a TD of 2,000 meters or a TVD of 1,701 meters in the Oligocene Lower Gabus Formation. The well was designed as an intentionally deviated hole.
In the Berau PSC, offshore Bintuni basin of western Irian Jaya, Arco spudded wildcat Wiriagar Deep #2 on 2 September. The well is located in 48 meters of water and is being drilled by the Deep Sea Ice drillship, some 15 km southeast of the Wiriagar Deep #1 location. The new well has a PTD of 2,973 meters, probably with the Jurassic Kembelangan Formation sandstones representing the objective. In early October, the well had reached a depth of 1,975 meters and was drilling ahead.
- Indonesia's West Natuna KG Field in the Kakap Block.
- Irian Jaya's Bintuni Basin Wiriagar Deep well #2 progressing.
Large gas field found in the Malaysia/Thailand JDA
The CTOC Joint Operating Body has announced that the Suriya #1 well, located in MTJDA Block 18, has tested at a rate of 60 MM cf/d gas. Reserve estimates are put at 3.1-7.4 tcf. The well was spudded on 29 August using Atwood's Falcon semisubmersible and reached a TD of 1,926 meters. the well is believed to have been a test of the northern part of the Ular structure which was drilled by Esso/Lasmo's Ular #1 in Malaysian block PM-2 in 1991. The first well in the CTOC's current five well program, Cakerawala #1A, was earlier suspended as an oil, gas, and condensate discovery after testing 58 MM cf/d gas (10-30% CO2).
British Gas is to redrill failed Cophil Manila Bay #1A in 1996
Cophil plugged and abandoned Manila Bay #1A (ST) in GSEC 72 in the Central Luzon basin on 17 September at a TD of 2,265 meters. The well encountered significant gas shows in the Upper Miocene-Lower Pliocene section but due to mechanical problems could not be logged or tested. The primary objective of a Lower Miocene reef was not reached by the well. British Gas is expected to take over the operatorship of GSEC 72 and redrill the structure next year.
Thailand's Unocal Ubon #2 an important gas discovery
In Block B12/27, in the Malay Basin, Unocal suspended important delineation well Ubon #2 as an oil and gas discovery on 26 August. Although few details were released by Unocal, it is known that several DSTs were conducted and the well reached a TD of 3,625 meters or a TVD of 3,081 meters.
Vietnam's 04-2 Lasmo well succeeds with significant gas shows
Lasmo's 04-2-HT #1X (Hou Trang) in Block 04-2 of the South Con Son Basin, was plugged and abandoned with gas shows in mid-September, after reaching a TD of 4,540 meters. Primary objectives were presumed to be Miocene sandstones. Lasmo now has one remaining well to be drilled within the 2,420 sq km tract during the first phase of the PSC.
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