Noble Energy has recorded oil and gas shows during the drilling of the Humpback exploration well in the South Falklands Basin, offshore the Falkland Islands.
Falkland Oil and Gas Limited (FOGL), a partner in the licence, said on Friday that progress on the well has been slower than anticipated because a side-track was required at 4,360 metres for mechanical reasons. The well has now been drilled to a depth of 4,718 metres.
To remind, Noble Energy restarted drilling of the Humpback exploration well in September. The well was spudded on June 13, 2015 , with drilling rig Eirik Raude, but the completion of the well was delayed in August .
According to FOGL, a number of sandstone intervals in the Lower Cretaceous (APX-200) were encountered between 4,642 metres and 4,704 metres and oil and gas shows were recorded whilst drilling through this section. A set of intermediate wireline logs have been run and these indicate the possible presence, based only on preliminary petrophysical analysis, of hydrocarbon bearing sandstones, within the main APX-200 target horizon, FOGL has said.
The APX-200 contains approximately 40 metres of net sand, with moderate porosities. However, without fluid samples, it has not yet been possible to definitively determine the formation fluid (oil, gas, water), nor accurately calibrate the petrophysical analysis, FOGL has added.
FOGL said its overall share of the Humpback well costs has increased as a result of the various delays, adding that it has sufficient funds and is able to complete the well.
The well will now be deepened to evaluate additional targets below the APX-200 sandstone. FOGL said it would be carried through the cost of the deepening by Noble in return for assigning a 32.5 percent equity interest to Noble in those deeper targets (FOGL retaining a 20% working interest).
“Once the well has reached total depth, a further set of wireline logs will be run. Subject to operational constraints, this will include a formation test tool which may be able to establish a pressure gradient within the sands and also recover a sample of formation fluid to the surface for definitive analysis,” FOGL has said. It added that the total depth should be reached by the end of October 2015.
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