Three gas-bearing reservoir intervals were observed in well 1-HRT-9-AM in the Amazon region of Brazil between 2,740 m (8,990 ft) and 2,800 m (9,186 ft), with approximately 30 m (98 ft) net pay, HRT Participações em Petróleo S.A., announced.

The findings were based on hydrocarbon shows in cuttings, mud logging gas detection, and wire line logging.

“This well absolutely has the best reservoir permo-porosity characteristics and net pay observed among previous HRT's drillings,” said Milton Franke, CEO for HRT O&G.

Well 1-HRT-9-AM in Brazil once more confirms the gas trend extension to the southwest, opening a new exploratory potential in the area of block SOL-T-191. This discovery, together with the three ones already made by wells 1-HRT-2-AM, 1-HRT-5-AM, and 1-HRT-8-AM, confirm the large gas potential of the Tefé Cluster and represent an important advance in HRT’s objective to monetize the natural gas of the Solimões basin.

The well was spudded on June 16 and reached a total depth of 2,960 m (9,711 ft) inside basement rocks. Drilling operations were carried out in a record 60-day time, representing a milestone in HRT drilling operations. The well will be cased to run drillstem tests to evaluate the production potential of the reservoirs.

The well 1-HRT-9-AM is located in the municipality of Carauari, in the state of Amazonas, and it was drilled by the Queiroz Galvão drilling rig, QG-IX.

HRT is exploring the Solimões basin in partnership with TNK-Brasil, a subsidiary of TNK-BP, a Russian joint venture between BP and AAR.