Petrobras completes drilling fifth well in Santos basin presalt Iara area

Offshore staff

RIO DE JANEIRO – As part of a consortium, Petróleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) has completed drilling the fifth exploratory well in the Santos basin presalt Iara area, block BM-S-11.

Well 3-RJS-715D (3-BRSA-1181D-RJS), known as Iara Alto Ângulo (“Iara steep angle”), is 225 km (140 mi) off the Rio de Janeiro coast, at a water depth of 2,128 m (6,982 ft). It was drilled in the central area of the concession’s Discovery Evaluation Plan, 4 km (2.5 mi) north of discovery well 1-RJS-656 (1-BRSA-618), known as Iara.

The well was designed and executed with a sub-horizontal geometry, and it reached a total depth of 6,672 m (21,890 ft) after drilling 900 m (2,953 ft) of carbonate rock below the salt layer. A 310-m (1,017-ft) hydrocarbon column was identified. The reservoir’s characteristics are similar to those found in the discovery well (1-RJS-656, Iara), which was drilled vertically, and where good-quality oil was identified (28º API).

Petrobras is the operator of the consortium (65%) in partnership with BG E&P Brasil (25%) and Petrogal Brasil (10%).

11/14/2013