BHP, formerly known as BHP Billiton, has encountered hydrocarbons in its Bélé-1 exploration well located offshore Trinidad & Tobago.
The Bélé-1 exploration well is located in Block 23(a), where BHP is the operator with a 70% interest. Water depth at the site is 2,102 meters.
In an operational review on Wednesday BHP said that, during the March 2019 quarter, the Transocean-owned Deepwater Invictus drillship had mobilized to Trinidad and Tobago for Phase 3 of the company’s deepwater drilling campaign.
This includes three wells testing three prospects in the Northern licenses around the Bongos discovery, which is located in Block TTDAA 14.
Bélé-1, the first of these wells, was spud on March 2, 2019, and encountered hydrocarbons. Drilling is still in progress and assessment is ongoing. Total well depth is expected to be 3,693 meters.
According to Transocean’s latest fleet status report issued in February, the Deepwater Invictus drillship’s contract with BHP off Trinidad is set to end in May 2019. After that, the rig is scheduled to work for BHP in Mexico until October 2019. Later, the rig will move to the U.S. Gulf of Mexico for more work with BHP, which is scheduled to end in May 2020.
It is worth mentioning that BHP’s Phase 2 of deepwater exploration drilling campaign off Trinidad & Tobago included drilling the Victoria-1 exploration well, which further assessed the commercial potential of the Magellan play in the Southern license area in Trinidad and Tobago, encountered gas and was plugged and abandoned on July 18, 2018.
Following the Victoria-1 well, the Bongos-1 exploration well was spud on July 20, 2018, and experienced mechanical difficulty shortly after spud. The Bongos-2 exploration well was spud on July 22, 2018 and encountered hydrocarbons.
The Bongos-2 and Bongos-1 wells were plugged and abandoned on September 23, 2018, and September 26, 2018, respectively. Following the Bongos-2 well, the Concepcion-1 well was spud on September 30, 2018, to further test the Magellan play and is currently drilling ahead.
Offshore Energy Today Staff
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