Canacol Energy Ltd. provided an update Dec. 19 for the Clarinete 3, Nelson 5, and Nelson 8 gas development wells in Colombia, and for the first-quarter 2017 exploration drilling program.

The Clarinete 3 development well in the lower Magdalena Basin was spudded on Nov. 3 and reached total depth of 9,280 feet measured depth on Nov. 18. It encountered 31 feet measured depth of net gas pay in the primary Cienaga de Oro (CDO) sandstone target.

The CDO reservoir interval flowed at a final stabilized rate of 3,158 barrels of oil equivalent per day of dry gas with no water over a 25-hour test period. The Clarinete 3 well is on permanent production.

The Nelson 8 development well, also in the Lower Magdalena Basin, was spudded on Nov. 13 and reached total depth of 10,985 feet measured depth on Dec. 2. The well encountered 163 feet measured depth of net gas pay in the primary CDO sandstone target.

Canacol said it will perforate the entire CDO section prior to tying the well into the Bretanna-to-Jobo flowline. The well will then be tested and placed on permanent production, which is expected to occur prior to year-end 2016.

Canacol also said that it began workover operations on the Nelson 5 well, which has produced from the CDO for the past two years, in late November.

Canacol also said that it spudded the Mono Capuchino 1 light oil exploration well in the Middle Magdalena Basin on Dec. 17. It will be drilled to a planned total depth of 12,000 feet measured depth and will take about 75 days to drill and test. It targets light oil bearing reservoirs in the Cretaceous La Luna Formation.

Providing an update on the near-term drilling program, Canacol said it will spud the Pumara 1 exploration well in early March 2017. It is targeting the reservoirs of the C7, Mirador, Barco, Gacheta, and Ubaque sandstones in the LLA23 Block in the Llanos Basin.

The Canahuate 1 exploration well will be drilled in February 2017, and targets the proven CDO sandstone reservoir productive at all of Canacol’s nearby gas fields in the area.