Asia/Pacific
Peter Tang
Singapore
Bangladesh
In Block 9 in the Bengal Basin, Bapex's Saldanadi-1 wildcat has reached a TD of approximately 2466 meters and is preparing to test. The well was spudded at the end of July 1996 using the Ideco H-1700 rig and had Miocene (Middle/Upper Bhuban Formations) objectives, targeting the same reservoir as the nearby Rokhia Field. Saldanadi-1 is understood to have encountered several gas zones but did not however penetrate the high pressure zones below which Petrobangla believes there is oil potential.
Brunei
Elf has suspended exploration/delineation well Maharaja Lela-3, located in Block B in the Baram Delta Basin, as an oil, gas and condensate discovery. The well, which was spudded on 9 May by Sedco's "Sedco 600" semi-submersible in 63 meters of water, reached a TD of 3641 meters in Upper Miocene sandstones. DST-1 flowed 29.1 mmcf/d plus 440 BCPD, while DST-2 recorded 1887 BOPD plus 7.5 mmcf/d. Following the completion of testing the rig was released to FCP for a well in Block A.
China
Triton Energy was awarded its fourth exploration block in the Pearl River Mouth Basin, when on 24 September 1996 it signed a 12 month study agreement for JSA 24/05 in the west of the basin. Under the terms of the agreement Triton will reprocess 2700 km of existing seismic data from the area and submit a report at the end of the study.
In PSCA 62/23 in the Yinggehai Basin, Chevron spudded its first well in the tract on 30 September using the "Nanhai-5" semisubmersible. YC 25-1-1 has a prognosed TD of 3750 meters, targeting Pliocene clastics, and is currently setting 9 5/8-in casing at 2705 meters. Chevron is the first foreign operator to drill in the Yinggehai Basin in 1996.
Elsewhere in the Yinggehai Basin, CONHW spudded its third appraisal well on the Ledong 22-1 structure on 10 September using the "Nanhai-2" semi submersible in 90 meters of water. LD 22-1-4 was then re-spudded on 20 September after encountering mechanical problems whilst setting the 13 3/8-in casing shoe. After drilling to a TD of 1600m a testing program recorded a maximum flow of 10.08 mmcf/d from two DST's.
Burma
Malaysian company Genting Sanyen has been awarded offshore blocks M-3 and M-4 in the Gulf of Martaban. The contracts, which took effect on 4 October 1996, are believed to have only a seismic commitment in the first (three year) phase, although drilling is likely to be required if an extension phase is entered. Signature bonuses of US$7 million per tract were paid by Genting, which although is a newcomer to Burma holds a 45% interest in British Gas' Muturi PSC in Indonesia.
Total's last well in its current drilling program in M-5 and M-6 in the Martaban Basin has been plugged and abandoned with gas shows. M-5-B-1 was drilled to a TD of 1680m using the "Parameswara" jack-up and tested 0.60 mmcf/d from a single DST in the Middle Miocene section.
Indonesia
In the Berau PSC in western Irian Jaya, Arco spudded wildcat Vorwata-1 on 14 October. This important well is located approximately 9km north of Occidental's 1990 Roabiba-1 gas discovery and 13 km northeast of Wiriagar-5, in close proximity to the boundary with British Gas' Muturi PSC. Vorwata-1 has a prognosed TD of approximately 3505 meters targeting Palaeocene, Cretaceous and Jurassic sandstones.
Thailand
There have been several new awards in Thailand, as a result of the 13th Thai Licensing Round. These include B8/38 in the Western and Kra Basins to Soco and Block 11/38 in the Pattani Basin to Texaco. Soco signed for the 9580 km2 Block 8/38 on 24 October for a six year exploration term comprised of two three-year phases, with a work commitment of one well during the first phase at an estimated cost of US$3 million. Texaco's contract for the 8690 sq.km2 Block 11/38 is for a similar duration, requiring 3D seismic acquisition plus two wells in the first phase at a projected cost of approximately US$11.6 million. Elsewhere in Thailand, Texaco has farmed-in to and assumed operatorship of Block 12/32 in the Malay Basin of the Gulf of Thailand. Texaco has taken a 65% interest in the block, in which the remaining partner is Dragon Oil (35%). A well is expected to be spudded during November.
Vietnam
On 28 October British Gas fully relinquished Block 04-1 in the South Con Son Basin at the end of the first phase. This followed the failure of the company to attract a farminee to participate in the second exploration phase. British Gas (50%) and partner Arco (50%) drilled two unsuccessful commitment wells in the tract, namely 04-1-ST-1X and 04-1-SDN-1XRX.
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