Sound Oil updates Citarum status
Saturday, June 21 2008 - 12:34 AM WIB
Sound Oil successfully completed the drilling of its first well in Indonesia on 27 September 2007. The Pasundan?1 well reached a total depth of 10412 ft in the Eocene Jatibarang Formation after 122 days on location. This was somewhat longer than anticipated due to extended operations to control severe down-hole losses in a subsurface cavernous zone in the principal Baturaja Formation carbonate reservoir objective. The well tested two intervals in the lower part of the Baturaja Formation with the second test (8024- 8069 ft) flowing water with a trace of hydrocarbon gas to the surface at a stabilised rate of 3000 barrels per day. Although no significant quantities of oil or gas were recovered the test demonstrates that the Baturaja reservoir has effective porosity and a strong aquifer drive in this area.
The upper cavernous interval (6770-6900 ft) remains to be tested at a later date. Losses to this zone were estimated at 100,000 barrels of drilling fluid and a drill stem test must be designed to recover these losses and properly sample the formation fluid. The quantity of losses, their chemical composition and their estimated surface temperature necessitate the design of a logistic and environmental plan to cope with their safe surface handling. It is currently the intention to return to test this zone with a separate rig in conjunction with the next drilling campaign. One possible advantage to the delay in testing this zone is that subsurface conditions may equilibrate and any hydrocarbons could segregate from the lost drilling fluids under gravity, and be recovered more easily. It is estimated that this zone contains P50 prospective resources1 of 35 MMbo2; in view of observed pressures in the well it is now thought that oil is the most likely hydrocarbon in place.
In view of results at Pasundan-1 it was decided to delay drilling of the nearby Kujang Prospect (estimated P50 prospective resources 42 MMbo) pending additional seismic data to verify it is separate from the Pasundan structure. Kujang will also be assessed as to its overall ranking in a full prospect inventory for the licence following new seismic surveys in 2008.
Preparations are in progress to acquire 750 km of new 2D seismic data over four prospective areas identified from geological study. This will fulfil the First Exploration Period seismic commitment on the PSC. There is also the option to acquire an additional 100 km in the event that the survey results are encouraging. In addition, the survey will be supplemented by a programme of geological field studies, gravity survey and magnetotelluric measurements (subsurface resistivity survey). It is anticipated that the new seismic programme will commence in the second half of 2008 and allow interpretation of results to define prospect locations for a new drilling campaign in 2009 to fulfil the outstanding PSC well commitments. (end of excerpt)