Mixed drilling results for Noble offshore Israel at Tamar and Leviathan

Offshore staff

TEL AVIV, Israel – Delek Group says the Tamar gas development in the Israeli sector of the Mediterranean Sea remains on track for first production in early 2013.

The group’s involvement in the project comes via its subsidiary Delek Drilling.

Early last month, operator Noble Energy issued an update on progress. The Tamar 5 development well reached a final depth of 5,044 m (16,548 ft) after intersecting the Tamar sands' three natural gas layers, and penetrating to the D Sand level.

Initial analysis of the drilling data revealed no sign of natural gas in the D sand. Noble is currently running electric logs, and intends to seal the lower section of the well and drill diagonally to the top of the B sand layer.

The Tamar 3 well, which reached a different fault block, did find natural gas in the D sand.

In the same region, during drilling of the deepwater Leviathan 2 well, a flow of water was identified in the hole. Noble decided that the well was not suitable for future use as a producer and ceased drilling.

On June 24, drilling at Leviathan 3 began 4.4 km (2.7 mi) from the Leviathan 2 location and 9.6 km (6 mi) from the Leviathan 1 discovery well.

Leviathan 3 will drilled to a TD of 5,300 m (17,388 ft), including a water depth of around 1,670 m (5,479 ft). Drilling should continue for roughly three months, with the cost estimated at $100 million, excluding production tests.

09/01/2011