NORTH AMERICA

Study shows reserves in Polar’s Hemi Springs project

A new geological study at Polar Petroleum Corp.’s Hemi Springs project in Alaska’s North Slope region shows total recoverable petroleum reserves of approximately 558 MMbbl, the company said in a press release. The project is located on the southern boundary of the Prudhoe Bay field and southeast of the Kuparuk River field. The study assigned estimated recoverable reserves of 298.7 MMbbl of oil from the Ivishak formation, 139.7 MMbbl of oil from the Kuparuk formation, and 119.8 MMbbl of oil from the Schrader Bluff formation/West Sak formation.

Repsol ends Alaska campaign with three oil discoveries

Repsol has completed its winter exploration campaign in Alaska with three new good-quality hydrocarbon discoveries in the North Slope region, according to a company news release. The Qugruk 1 (Q-1) and Qugruk 6 (Q-6) wells produced two hydrocarbons shows, with encouraging results during production tests, Repsol said. In the Qugruk 3 (Q-3) well, hydrocarbons were identified at multiple levels. Wells Q-1, Q-3, and Q-6 reached depths of 2,493 m (8,179 ft), 3,214 m (10,545 ft), and 2,637 m (8,652 ft), respectively. The company operates the consortium with a 70% stake, with 70 & 48 LLC, a subsidiary of Armstrong Oil and Gas, with a 22.5% interest and GMT Exploration Co. with a 7.5% interest.

GULF OF MEXICO

Chevron’s St. Malo field produces 13,000 b/d of oil

Chevron Corp. has tested a Lower Tertiary well in the company’s St. Malo field, located in Walker Ridge Block 678 in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), according to a press release. The #3-PS OCS G21245 well flowed 13,000 b/d of oil from multiple sets of perforations in the Lower Tertiary at 8,146 m to 8,538 m (26,727 ft to 28,013 ft). The well was drilled to 8,619 m (28,276 ft) and bottomed to the east beneath Block 678. Water in the area is 2,146 m (7,040 ft) deep. Chevron holds a 51% operated interest in St. Malo field, with partners Petrobras (25%), Statoil (21.5%), ExxonMobil (1.25%), and Eni (1.25%).

Phobos probe hits oil for Anadarko

Anadarko Petroleum confirmed in a press release that its Phobos-1 well in the deepwater GoM encountered approximately 76 m (250 ft) of high-quality oil pay in Lower Tertiary-aged reservoirs. The well is likely to be developed via a subsea tieback to the operator’s nearby Lucius field, which is due to be developed via a truss spar facility. Phobos lies 18 km (11 miles) south of the operator’s Lucius discovery and is located in Sigsbee Escarpment Block 39. It was drilled to a total depth of 8,740 m (28,675 ft) in approximately 2,591 m (8,500 ft) of water. Anadarko operates Phobos with a 30% working interest with partners Plains E&P Co. (50%) and ExxonMobil (20%).

MIDDLE EAST

Petrofac consortium lands $3.7 billion Abu Dhabi contract

Petrofac announced Petrofac Emirates, its joint venture with Mubadala Petroleum, has been awarded a contract by Zakum Development Co. (ZADCO) for the Upper Zakum UZ750 field development in Abu Dhabi. The contract is worth approximately US $3.7 billion and has been secured by Petrofac Emirates in consortium with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co. Ltd., according to a news release. The project comprises the engineering, procurement, construction, transportation, and commissioning of island surface facilities on four artificial islands. These facilities will commence operations during 2016.

Oil Search’s Taza 1 well flows oil in Iraq

Oil Search Ltd. reported its Taza 1 ST2 well flowed oil at rates of 400 b/d to 500 b/d and 1 MMcf/d of gas, according to a press release. The well, drilled to a depth of 3,351 m (10,994 ft), tested the Euphrates formation and part of the Dhiban formation. The well test will continue to gain more information on the fluid properties and flow rates, Oil Search said in the release. Participants in Taza 1 are Oil Search (Iraq) Ltd. with a 60% interest, Total E&P Kurdistan Region of Iraq with a 20% interest, and the Kurdistan regional government with a 20% interest.

SOUTH AMERICA

Sagitario presalt well strikes oil offshore Brazil

Petrobras made a new Santos basin presalt discovery offshore Brazil. Exploration well #1-SPS-98 (1-BRSA-1063-SPS), also known as Sagitario, has 31°API gravity oil, but no production rates have been disclosed. Oil was found in carbonate reservoirs below the salt layer at a depth of 6,150 m (20,177 ft). The well is still being drilled to 6,950 m (22,802 ft) to define the bottom of the oil reservoir. This is the first well to be drilled in Block BM-S-50 and is west of the main Santos basin pre-salt discovery. Petrobras is the operator of Block BM-S-50 and #1-SPS-98 (1-BRSA-1063-SPS) Sagitario with a 60% interest in partnership with BG E&P Brasil, holding a 20% interest, and Repsol Sinopec Brasil with the remaining 20% interest.

Ecopetrol’s Venus-2 finds crude oil in Colombia

Ecopetrol SA reported in a news release that it has proven the presence of crude oil at Venus-2, an exploratory well located within the municipality of San Martin, Meta province, in Colombia. Initial tests carried out using an electrosubmersible artificial lift yielded an average crude oil production of 630 b/d of 17°API gravity and a water cut of 39%. Ecopetrol plans to continue its exploratory activities on Block CPO-11 in the coming weeks. The Venus-2 well is part of the CPO-11 block, governed by the December 2008 E&P agreement between Ecopetrol and the National Hydrocarbons Agency. Ecopetrol holds a 100% interest in the block.

ASIA-PACIFIC

Beach vertical well in Queensland produces from Permian zone

In western Queensland, Australia, Beach Energy Ltd.’s #1-Halifax well in permit area ATP855P produced 2.2 MMcf/d from a Permian zone after 14 fracturing stages, the company said in a press release. The company plans further testing as the gas-fluid ratio in the wellstream increases. Drilled to 4,267 m (14,000 ft), the well is producing from gas-saturated Permian zones. Beach is the operator of ATP855P and the #1-Halifax well with a 60% interest in partnership with Icon Energy, which holds the remaining 40% interest.

Pan Orient discovers oil pay at well onshore Thailand

Pan Orient Energy Corp. announced in a press release that the L53-G2 exploration well onshore Thailand is currently on a 90-day production test producing 24°API gravity oil at a rate of approximately 350 b/d with a 0.5% water cut from 7 m (23 ft) of perforations in 8 m (26 ft) of oil pay in the K40-D sand. The well encountered a combined total of 20 m (66 ft) of net oil pay averaging 28% to 32% porosity in the K40-D, C, B, and A sands. The L53-G2 well was drilled to a total measured depth of 1,650 m (5,413 ft) from the L53-G well pad approximately 3 km (2 miles) south of the L53-A field well pad. Further drilling will be required to define the full extent of the accumulation.

EUROPE

BMT set to provide forecasting services for Caspian Sea

BMT Argoss, a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd., secured a long-term contract to provide a major oil company with weather forecasting services for all of its north Caspian Sea operations, both offshore and onshore, BMT said in a press release. The scope of BMT’s work includes the provision of all forecasting services including metocean and aviation as well as all operational support, including maintenance of meteorological equipment on all of the installations. BMT will provide 24/7 service and, where necessary, forecasters and metocean service specialists will travel to offshore installations to provide forecasts.

North Star vessels will support BP’s North Sea operations

North Star Shipping, a division of the Craig Group, has been awarded a five-year multiservice contract with BP with a value of US $98 million and a possible extension of five years. The contract includes tanker assist, platform supply, and emergency and response rescue vessels, all supporting BP’s operations in the North Sea. Four vessels, with a possible fifth to be added, are being contracted, including the Grampian Talisker, Grampian Frontier, Grampian Conquest, and Grampian Dee.

AFRICA

African Petroleum makes discovery at well offshore Liberia

African Petroleum Corp. of London reported an oil discovery at exploration well #1-Bee Eater offshore Liberia. The venture hit 48 m (157 ft) of Narina-equivalent oil-bearing Turonian sandstone out of a 135-m (443-ft) oil interval. According to the company, the discovery was in the Turonian fan by way of a large step-out west of the original #1-Narina oil discovery. The extension of the Turonian oil play from the #1-Narina discovery toward #1-Bee Eater will help determine the oil-bearing part of the 300-sq-km (116-sq-mile) Turonian fan. The #1-Bee Eater was drilled to 4,100 m (13,451 ft) in 1,067 m (3,501 ft) of water. African Petroleum is the operator of blocks LB-08 and LB-09 and #1-Bee Eater with a 100% interest.