Offshore staff
LONDON – Hardy Oil & Gas has issued an update on its various programs offshore India.
In the KG-DWN-2003/1 (D3) block (Hardy 10%), the D3 joint venture operating committee reviewed and recommended a Commerciality Report for the Dhirubhai 39, 41 and 52 natural gas discoveries.
The D3 exploration license spans 3,288 sq km (1,269 sq mi) in the KG basin, in water depths of 400-2,200 m (1,312-7,218 ft), around 45 km (28 mi) offshore. Reliance has a 60% operating interest, and BP 30%.
The partners plan a dry gas, subsea cluster development with flexibility to tie in additional discoveries. A review by India’s Government will likely continue through the remainder of this year.
Geotechnical evaluation of the block integrated with new regional data has identified additional prospects and leads.
Primarily the new prospectivity is evident in thermogenic sourced plays. Hardy expects further clarification to emerge as results become available from ongoing interpretation in the central area of the block and the PSDM seismic processing in the east portion of the block (‘Pan Handle’).
Next year the joint venture will undertake further geotechnical studies. Exploration is now focused on Pan Handle and high grading prospects to test deeper play types within the central portion of the block.
A fifth exploration well should also be drilled in 2012. At least one of the remaining two commitment wells will likely be drilled in the Pan Handle area, with the other targeting a deeper play in the central block area.
Hardy also has 10% of block KG-DWN-2001/1 (D9), shared with the same partners.
Following the KG-D9-A2 gas discovery (Dhirubhai 54) here in June, which encountered three gas-bearing sand reservoirs with gross thickness of 22 m (72 ft), the D9 joint venture applied for a six-month extension to end-December for phase one of the exploration license. They are assessing the potential commerciality of the find through further data gathering and analysis.
This license covers 11,605 sq km (4,481 sq mi) in the Bay of Bengal in water depths varying from 2,300-3,100 m (7,546-10,170 ft).
In block CY-OS/2 off southeast India, Hardy operates with a 75% interest. It includes the 2007 gas discovery Ganesha.
The exploration period for the block ended in March 2007, and a request was issued later that year to extend the terms for appraisal and declaration of commerciality for the non-associated gas (NANG) discovery until January 2012.
Following a protracted formal dispute resolution process, the application remains under adjudication, although a ruling is now expected next spring.
Assuming confirmation of the extension period, Hardy intends to fully appraise Ganesha.
11/08/2011
