Australian oil and gas company Santos started drilling the AAL-4X appraisal well at the Northwest Natuna production sharing contract (PSC) offshore Indonesia on Saturday, May 14, 2016.
The Joint Venture partners in the Northwest Natuna PSC are AWE, with 50% stake, and Santos as the operator with the other 50% stake.
According to AWE, as at 09:00 hours AEDT Monday, May 16, the well was at 200m Total Vertical Depth Sub Sea (TVDSS) in a 24 inch hole. The AAL-4X well will be drilled to a planned maximum total depth of 1,232m TVDSS and is forecast to take approximately 48 days to complete, AWE added.
The well is being drilled in water depth of approximately 72m using the Raniworo jack-up drilling rig owned by Indonesian drilling contractor Apexindo. The Northwest Natuna PSC is located offshore Indonesia and includes the Ande Ande Lumut (AAL) oil project.
AWE stated that the AAL project comprises the K Sand reservoir (101 million barrels gross recoverable oil, net 24.3 million barrels of 2P Reserves to AWE) and the underlying G Sand reservoir.
The AAL-4X appraisal well is targeting the G Sand reservoir, which is estimated to contain 289 million barrels gross oil in place with 36 million barrels gross recoverable oil (net 10 million barrels 2C Resources to AWE), the company added.
AWE explained that the appraisal of the G Sand would facilitate the preparation of Plan of Development for this resource, which could be developed in conjunction with the already approved K Sand development.