Premier strikes more gas at Natuna sea

UK independent oil and gas firm Premier Oil PLC said on Friday that the Ibu Lembu-1 exploration well in Natuna Sea Block A PSC has encountered gas.

The company said the well has reached target depth, having fully penetrated all objective reservoirs.

?The well has encountered gas in the Upper Gabus, in a section similar to that tested by the Lembu Peteng-1 well, drilled in the adjacent fault block in 2006,? said the company.

A comprehensive data collection programme has been completed and in accordance with the well programme, the well will now be plugged and abandoned. A full evaluation of the data will be carried out to assess the significance of the discovery in light of the neighbouring Lembu Peteng and Lembu discoveries.?

Following completion of operations on the Ibu Lembu well, the Seadrill-5 rig will move to the Gajah Sumatera-1 well location to drill a structure adjacent to the Gajah Puteri Field, it said.

Premier operates the Natuna Sea Block A with a 28.67 percent interest. The other partners in the block are Kufpec (33.33 percent), Amerada Hess (23 percent) and Petronas (15 percent).(alex)