Exploration activity in neighboring Pakistan and India, which are fierce rivals, has resulted in a host of success stories in recent weeks.

While Pakistan has enjoyed four discoveries, India has seen three finds in Rajasthan. On the field development side, India’s state-owned Oil & Natural Gas Co (ONGC) has chalked up spending of more than $1.8 billion on two projects.

Pakistan’s state-owned Oil and Gas Development Co. Ltd. (OGDCL) has made an oil discovery with exploration well Jarwar Well No. 1 in district Tando Allah Yar, Sindh. The discovery lies in the NIM Block, which is operated by OGDCL with a 95% interest and Government Holdings with 5%. This is the second oil discovery that OGDCL has made in two months.

Jarwar Well No. 1 was drilled to the depth of 1,473 m (4,833 ft) and planned to test the hydrocarbon potential of the upper sand of the Lower Goru Formation.

“Significant reserves of hydrocarbon found at Jarwar Well No. 1 have been tested delivering 480 [bbl/d] of oil through downhole jet pump,” the company said. “The Jarwar Well No. 1 discovery will add to the hydrocarbon reserves base of the OGDCL.”

Gas strike in Attock-Punjab

OGDCL, operator of the Soghri exploration license, also found gas with exploration well Soghri #01 in District Attock-Punjab. The structure of well was delineated, drilled and tested utilizing the indigenous expertise.

Soghri #01 was drilled to a depth of 4,900 m (16,076 ft) testing the potentials of the Sakassar, Chorgali, Nammal & Pattala formations.

Significant reserves of hydrocarbons have been found at the well, OGDCL said. Sakassar, Chorgali, Nammal and Pattala have been tested jointly delivering 481.6 Mcm/d (17 MMcf/d) of gas and 220 bbl/d of condensate through a 32/64-in. choke at wellhead flowing pressure of 3,275 psi.

Gas condensate double in Sindh

Pakistan Petroleum Ltd. (PPL) and its partners have made a gas-condensate discovery with exploration well Kinza X-1 in the Gambat South Block in District Sanghar, Sindh, Pakistan. This is the fourth discovery in the block after the Wafiq, Shahdad and Sharf gas-condensate discoveries.

Exploration well Kinza X-1 was spudded on July 28 and reached a final depth of 3,695 m (12,123 ft). Based on wireline logs, potential hydrocarbon-bearing zones were identified in the massive sand of the Lower Goru Formation, which are under testing, PPL said.

Initial testing flowed 339.9 Mcm/d (12 MMcf/d) of gas along with condensate at a 48/64-in. choke size, confirming the presence of commercial quantities of natural gas and condensate at Kinza X-1, PPL said.

Meanwhile, PPL has made another gas-condensate discovery with exploration well Adam West X-1 in the Hala Block in District Matiari, Sindh. PPL operates the Hala Block with a 65% stake, while Mari Petroleum Co. Ltd. holds the remaining 35%.

The Adam West X-1 well was spudded on May 21 and reached a final depth of 4,057 m (13,311 ft) on July 29. Based on wireline logs, potential hydrocarbon-bearing zones were identified, which are currently being tested, PPL said.

Initial testing in the massive sand of the Lower Goru Formation flowed at 526.9 Mcm/d (18.6 MMcf/d) of gas and 31 bbl/d of condensate on a 32/64-in. choke.

Cairn hits Rajasthan hat trick

Cairn India recently revealed three new oil discoveries in Block RJ-ON-90/1 in Rajasthan onshore India, with a fast-track development on the cards. With these three finds in Block RJ-ON-90/1, the total number of discoveries in the block to date has risen to 36.

“Exploration well DP-1 has encountered 70 m (230ft) of gross oil-bearing interval in the Barmer Hill formation. The well has been [fracked] and tested, flowing oil at 120 [bbl/d] of oil,” said Cairn India. “This is a significant discovery, in view of its proximity to the Mangala oil field and fast-track appraisal is planned to facilitate rapid commercialization of this discovery.”

Meanwhile, exploration well Saraswati SW-1 has been tested in a Mesozoic sand interval and flowed oil at 248 bbl/d of oil.

The third well, Aishwariya-46, flowed oil at 182 bbl/d of oil in the Dharvi Dungar formation. “This well represents the first Dharvi Dungar oil discovery in the northern part of Barmer Basin.”

Spending ramps up in India

In terms of field developments, India has seen two big steps recently.

ONGC is gearing up to invest $863 million on the Daman development project in the Tapti Daman Block in Arabian Sea offshore western India to increase gas and condensate production. The Daman project covers the additional development of the C-24 field and the B-12 marginal fields—including B-12-11, B-12-13 and B-12-15. The project is located about 90 km (56 miles) to 100 km (62 miles) offshore the Daman coast.

Facilities for the project, which is targeted for completion by pre-monsoon 2019, will include seven wellhead platforms and one riser platform with associated pipelines.

ONGC plans to drill 28 wells for the Daman project.

ONGC said that the Daman development is expected to start initial production by July 2016, with peak output reaching 8.35 MMcm/d (294.84 MMcf/d) of gas and 9,286 bbl/d of condensate. Cumulative production from Daman is estimated to hit 27.68 Bcm (977 Bcf) of gas and 5.01 MMcm (176.9 MMcf) of condensate between 2034 and 2035.

In addition, India’s Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has won a $222.4 million contract from ONGC for its offshore Mumbai High development. The contract covers the engineering, procurement, construction and installation of five wellhead platforms at the Mumbai High North field offshore India’s west coast.

“The project, part of ONGC’s strategy to re-develop Phase III of Mumbai High North field to enhance production from existing reservoirs, is scheduled to be completed by March 2016,” L&T said.

ONGC approved in late June the proposal for redevelopment of the Mumbai High North field involving a capital investment of $947.6 million. Upon completion, the project will produce 51.3 Mbbl of crude oil and 5.25 Bcm (185.33 Bcf) of gas by 2030.

The Mumbai High North Phase III redevelopment requires the installation of five wellhead platforms, one clamp-on facility for wells at an existing platform, associated pipelines and modifications at 13 platforms, drilling of 52 new wells and 24 sidetrack wells.

Installation of the facilities is scheduled for completion by April 2016, while drilling of wells and the overall project completion is targeted for May 2017.