Noble Energy has confirmed deepwater discoveries in the US Gulf of Mexico and the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

In the GoM Noble said wireline logging data on the sub-salt Dantzler exploration well has indicated that the well encountered more than 37 m (120 net feet) of primarily crude oil pay in two high-quality Miocene reservoirs. The discovery well in Mississippi Canyon Block 782 was drilled to a total depth of 5,863 m (19,234 ft) in 2,006 m (6,580 ft) of water.

Dantzler is located 12 miles west of the company’s Rio Grande development area, which includes discoveries at Big Bend and Troubadour. Discovered gross resources at Dantzler are now estimated at between 55-95 MMboe, said Noble.

Offshore Israel, where Noble has made such a major impact with its deepwater gas discoveries, the operator said its Tamar Southwest (SW) exploration well encountered approximately 108 m (355 ft) of net natural gas pay within the targeted Miocene intervals. Tamar SW, which was drilled to a total depth of 5,310 m (17,420 ft) in 1,647 m (5,405 ft) of water, is the company’s eighth consecutive discovery in the Levant Basin, it said.

The field is located approximately 8 miles southwest of the Tamar field, which began producing earlier this year. Evaluation of drilling data and wireline logs confirmed the range of gross resources of the field to be between 640-770 Bcf of gas. The well encountered high-quality reservoir sands, with per well productivity anticipated to be approximately 250 MMcf/d of gas.

Mike Putnam, Noble’s vice president, exploration and geoscience, said, “These new discoveries, combined with our exploration and appraisal successes earlier this year, have continued our successful organic exploration track record and identified new sources of future growth for Noble Energy. Dantzler represents our third consecutive exploration discovery in the Miocene trend of the Gulf of Mexico and complements our existing developments at Rio Grande and Gunflint. The field’s proximity to our Rio Grande area provides the opportunity for an accelerated development at Dantzler.

“In Israel, the discovery at Tamar SW further enhances our discovered resources in the eastern Mediterranean, which now totals nearly 40 Tcf of natural gas. The discovery also underpins our ability to meet the growing market demand in Israel and within the region.”

Noble operates Dantzler with a 45% participating interest, with its partners being Ridgewood Energy Corp. (including Riverstone Holdings and its portfolio company ILX Holdings II) with 35% and W&T Energy VI, LLC (a wholly-owned subsidiary of W&T Offshore Inc.) with 20%. In the deepwater GoM Noble anticipates drilling at least two additional Miocene trend prospects next year.

Following completion of operations at Tamar SW, the drilling rig will be released to another operator. Noble operates Tamar SW with a 36% working interest, with its partners being Isramco Negev 2 (28.75%), Delek Drilling (15.625%), Avner Oil Exploration (15.625%) and Dor Gas Exploration (4%).

  • Woodside Petroleum says it expects to make a final decision on a potential asset deal with Noble Energy to farm into the latter’s operated Leviathan field offshore Israel in the first half of 2014. The Australian company made an in-principle agreement to buy a 30% stake in the Leviathan gas discovery for US $1.25 billion earlier this year, but has been dragging its feet while Israel’s leaders decide on their tax policies for gas exports.