Offshore staff
WEST PERTH, Australia – Rialto Energy (ASX:RIA) has started drilling a side track on its recent Gazelle-P3 ST appraisal well offshore Cote d’Ivoire. The program should take around 12-15 days to complete.
Gazelle-P3 ST2 targets the Upper Cenomanian (UC-1) reservoir 200 m (656 ft) from where good-quality sands were encountered in a previous well (IVCO-14). The side track will also penetrate a well-developed UC3 sand, which to date has not been included in contingent resources for this area north of the Gazelle fault.
Pressures and samples will be taken from the UC-3 sand to assess its potential as a contributor to future field oil and gas production.
Following planned testing in the UC-1 reservoir, the well will be suspended as a future producer for theGazelle field oil and gas development.
Earlier in the campaign, drilling in the Lower Cenomanian (LC-2) reservoir extended the Gazelle gas column by 200 m (656 ft). PVT samples suggest a good-quality gas reservoir. Rialto adds that the LC-2 result should have a positive bearing on the interpreted areal extent of the LC-2 reservoir, by extending the assumed gas/water contact some way downdip relative to the pre-drill prognosis.
A follow up well is likely next year to evaluate the 750 bcf Greater Condor prospect at a better location where the Lower Cenomanian is expanded. There could be further potential in the 75-m (246-ft) sand interval encountered at the existing location below the Condor prospect, said Rialto. This new play, combined with recently acquired 3D data, could open up further high impact exploration prospects in the Gazelle/Condor area.
6/01/2012
