BW steps up drilling in Dussafu PSC offshore Gabon

Offshore staff

OSLO, Norway – BW Energy and partner Panoro Energy have decided to drill an additional well to test one of various prospects mapped in the Ruche area of the Dussafu exclusive exploitation authorization offshore Gabon. 

Drilling of the Ruche North East prospect should start in mid-year following completion of the second production well DTM 3-H at the Tortue field, also in the Dussafu PSC.

The partners took this decision based on the availability of theBorr Norvejackup drilling rig, savings generated by spreading mobilization costs across additional wells, the existing 2016 site survey at the Ruche North East location, and the good chance of a discovery. 

Estimated cost of this well will likely be less than $20 million.

Ruche North East is 3 km (1.86 mi) from the existing Ruche discovery wells and is mapped as a four-way structure in the Gamba reservoir, with potential in the deeper Dentale formation. It appears to be comparable in size to the Ruche field.

The main aim of the well will be to prove additional resources in the greater Ruche area, which would be combined with the existing Ruche field (discovered by Panoro in 2011) as a future second hub development in the PSC.

Planning has also started for the Phase 2 development at Tortue.

Earlier this week, the partners announced a successful appraisal well DTM-3 on the western flank of theTortue field.

This penetrated around 30 m (98 ft) of hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir within the Gamba formation and underlying Dentale subcrop sandstones at a structural position consistent with pre-drill estimates.

It also encountered hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs in the Dentale D2B and Dentale D6 reservoirs.

Operations have since started to drill and complete the second horizontal production well, DTM-3H, which will target the Gamba sandstone formation in the central part of the field.

05/17/2018