Harvest ups Indonesian exploration well target depth

US oil, gas firm Harvest Natural Resources, Inc. announced Wednesday that the KD-1 well, which spud on June 20, 2011, is currently drilling at 8,396 feet. The well was initially drilled to a depth of 9,633 feet.

Upon running in the hole after changing drill bits, the drill string became stuck at a depth of 8,390 feet. After multiple attempts to break free, the operator severed the drill string, set a cement plug at 7,347 feet and sidetracked the well, the company said.

The KD-1 well is being drilled to test a thrusted surface anticline with stacked Miocene and Eocene targets. With the current well design, the KD-1 well could be drilled to a total measured depth of approximately 12,300 feet.

The KD-1 well is the second of two planned exploration wells located in the Budong-Budong Block onshore West Sulawesi. Harvest owns a 64.4 percent non-operated working interest in the Budong-Budong Block PSC. (alex)