Offshore staff
DUBLIN, Ireland – The semisubmersible GSF Arctic III has started drilling operations at Barryroe in the North Celtic Sea basin offshore southern Ireland.
Providence Resources is operator of the 48/24-J appraisal well under a standard exploration license. Drilling and testing should last around 60 days.
The drilling location and program were determined based on recently processed 3D seismic volume. The well is designed to offset and primarily appraise the previous Marathon-operated 48/24-3 well on Barryroe in 1990, which tested 45° API light sweet oil at 1,600 b/d from base Cretaceous sands.
Another aim is to acquire a modern set of wireline logs, and an orientated conventional core through the primary objective.
These new data should assist with understanding the reservoir architecture, inverting the 3D seismic volume and defining the resource base for this reservoir interval.
Additionally, Providence plans to test the well using vacuum insulated tubing (VIT), which has proven to be useful elsewhere when dealing with high pour point crudes (as were evident in the original Barryroe well).
Data will also be acquired in overlying secondary objectives, as these have tested at rates of around 1,500 b/d from two previous wells on the Barryroe structure.
The goal is to demonstrate commercial flow rates of 1,800 b/d or better from the (present) vertical well.
11/21/2011
