Offshore staff
HOUSTON – VAALCO Energy Inc. has issued an update on its 2019/2020 drilling program offshore Gabon.
At the Etame field, the Vantage Drilling jackup Topaz Driller has spudded the Etame 9H horizontal development well targeting the Gamba formation. If successful, the well is expected to come online in December.
The Etame 9P appraisal wellbore was drilled and encountered both the Gamba and Dentale reservoirs at targeted depths as anticipated.
After reaching total depth in the Etame 9P appraisal wellbore, the drill pipe and tools became stuck. VAALCO was able to cut and pull the majority of the drill pipe but was unable to recover a portion of the drill pipe and tools at the bottom of the wellbore. The well was plugged back to a shallower depth.
The company now estimates that there is at least a 45-ft (14-m) oil column in the Gamba reservoir with no oil-water contact. This oil column is thicker than predrill expectations and may result in higher ultimate oil recovery from the Etame 9H and Etame 11H development wells.
In addition, preliminary analysis now indicates that the company encountered at least 45 ft of good-quality Dentale oil sands with estimated gross recoverable oil resources of 3.9 to 14.9 MMbbl of oil present in sub-cropping Dentale reservoirs.
The Etame 9P appraisal wellbore fulfills the commitment for one of the two appraisal wellbores agreed to under the company’s PSC extension, and the Etame 9H development well will fulfill its commitment for one of the two development wells.
10/30/2019
