London-based independent Mediterranean Oil & Gas (MOG) has confirmed a wildcat deepwater well will be drilled in frontier waters offshore Malta before the end of this year.

The company said it had secured Noble’s Paul Romano semisubmersible rig to drill a single well in Area 4 offshore southern Malta in the Mediterranean Sea in the fourth quarter of this year. MOG holds a 25% interest in the block, which is operated by Genel Energy (75%). Genel already had the rig under contract, and has a cooperation agreement in place with MOG for exploration offshore Malta, Libya and Tunisia.

The Paul Romano will drill the Hagar Qim 1 exploration well in a water depth of approximately 450 m (1,476 ft) targeting reservoirs at a depth of approximately 2,500 m (8,202 ft). The exploration well is to target unrisked likely gross prospective resources in the Lower Eocene/Paleocene of 109 MM boe (27 MM boe net to MOG).

The rig, currently undergoing a 5-year class survey in Valletta, Malta has a rated water depth capacity of up to 1,800 m (5,906 ft) and is capable of drilling to a well depth of approximately 7,500 m (24,607 ft).

The survey will also include preparation for the installation of a fifth ram to the blow out preventer to comply with latest best practice guidance for deepwater operations, added MOG. The upgraded BOP will be fully installed prior to the start of drilling activities on the Hagar Qim well.

Offshore