Novus, Lapindo to spud third E. Java exploration well

Australian oil, gas firm Novus petroleum Limited, together with its fifty-fifty partner Lapindo Brantas will start spudding Grati 1 prospect, the third and final of the current exploration drilling programme in the Brantas production sharing contract (PSC), onshore East Java, within a week.

In a statement released Wednesday, Novus said Grati 1 well will target Pliocene age reservoirs in a fault-closed structure a somewhat different play system than targeted by the first two wells, which both discovered gas.

Novus said the well has a prognosed total depth of 850 meters. The structure is located beneath the site of the Grati power station approximately 40km southeast of Brantas? Wunut gas producing field. (alex)