Offshore staff
LONDON -- Falkland Oil and Gas Limited (FOGL) plans to conduct a new site survey over its southern licenses offshore the Falkland Islands ahead of its next drilling program.
A vessel is currently mobilizing to the Falklands, and the survey program should start in late February. This will cover numerous locations including the Vinson prospect, in the Tertiary channel play, and another prospect in the mid-Cretaceous fan play.
FOGL may extend the survey to Inflexible, a Springhill fault-block, and Undine, a Tertiary fold-belt prospect. Both are similar to those that another UK independent Borders and Southern (B&S) intends to drill later this year.
One survey aim is to develop drilling options in the event of a discovery for B&S. FOGL may also choose to acquire up to 1,300 km (808 mi) of new 2D seismic, using the same vessel, again to assist prospect definition and selection of drilling locations.
The company is also negotiating the services of a deepwater rig for drilling on its acreage.
Last July, FOGL drilled its first well in the East Falklands basin, in partnership with BHP. The Toroa F61/5-1 exploration well was drilled to a total depth of 2,476 m (8,123 ft), and was P&A’d as a dry hole. However, there were some encouraging indicators, FOGL claims, which are under review, and the resultant data will be used to aid future drilling plans.
FOGL's post-drill analysis suggests that Toroa had no lateral seal to trap migrating hydrocarbons. The seismic amplitude and AVO response, interpreted to be hydrocarbon-filled sands, were likely due to a lithological effect (rock type) and to low density carbonaceous shales and coals overlying the Springhill reservoir. These lithologies may have also contributed to the “false positive” anomaly seen on the controlled source electromagnetic data.
However, FOGL believes the results of the well do not impact negatively the plays and prospects in the deepwater area of the licences. In particular, they have no bearing on the risk or hydrocarbon potential of Loligo and other prospects identified within the Tertiary channel play, over 250 km (155 mi) north east of Toroa.
The seismic amplitude and AVO response at Toroa, it adds, resulted from the presence of certain rock types that are highly unlikely to be present in the deepwater plays.
01/21/2011
