Offshore staff

(Aberdeen) Ithaca Energy has intersected a large oil column while exploring the Athena prospect in the UK's Outer Moray Firth area. Electric logs suggest well 14/18b-15 encountered 632 ft of gross oil-bearing sandstones within the Upper Leek formation.

The well was drilled at an angle of 60deg from vertical through the Lower Cretaceous Upper Leek reservoir, and encountered the reservoir 50 vertical feet higher than nearby well 14/18-7 that had tested oil at 850 b/d. Currently, Ithaca is running production casing to the total depth drilled, which will then be perforated for around nine days of testing.

10-16-2006