Offshore staff
NEW DELHI, India – ONGC (NSE:ONGC, BSE:500312) reports a major new oil discovery offshore western India.
The company found the new reserves during development drilling on the D1 field, which it now believes may be the third largest field in the Western Offshore basin afterMumbai High and Heera.
Previously, D1 was known to have initial oil in-place of about 600 MMbbl. The latest result suggests more than 1 Bbbl. D1 is primarily an oil-producing field, about 200 km (124 mi) west of Mumbai, in a water depth of 85-90 m (279-295 ft). It extends over four blocks, D1-4, D1-12, D1-14, and D1-2/5.
The first well in D1-4 was drilled in 1976. However, the low gas-to-oil ratio and limited understanding of the reservoir at the time slowed the pace of exploration and appraisal.
First development of the D1 field was confined to the D1-4 block where a total of 12 wells were drilled in two phases. After Phase-II was completed, oil production peaked at 17,500 b/d in 2009, and currently averages 12,500 b/d.
ONGC is implementing an integrated development plan for D1. Three new wellhead platforms – D1-B, D1-C, and D1-D – have been commissioned for the D1-4, D1-12, and D1-14 blocks. Development drilling is under way in blocks D1-4 and D1-14, and is expected to increase production to 36,000 b/d by February 2013.
The first development well (D1-D#1) in block D1-14, which spudded in May was planned to be drilled to 2,648 m (8,687 ft). However, when oil was detected in the 2,635-2,640 m (8,645-8,661 ft) zone, drilling was extended 100 m (328 ft) further, with the entire deepened section encountering oil-bearing sand. The well was subsequently drilled to a depth of 2,830 m (9,284 ft).
ONGC says this discovery has uncovered an additional oil-bearing zone of about 142 m (466 ft). On completion of the D1 field development, production is expected to rise to 60,000 b/d.
ONGC’s Sudhir Vasudeva said: “This discovery indeed has come up with a lot of promise signifying a substantial increase in the production for the company. Finally, we have made it to a large discovery which eluded us so long.”
Another ONGC exploratory well in Mumbai Offshore block WOFF 123 has flowed 43° API oil at 280 b/d and gas at 114,447 cm/d (4 MMcf/d), underlining the potential of the basal clastic /basement play.
8/14/2012
