Offshore staff
ALTON, UK -- Hurricane Exploration has started drilling Whirlwind, its second basement target in UK block 205/21a, west of Shetland.
The semisubmersible Borgsten Dolphin spudded the well last week following a maintenance program on completing the previous Lancaster oil discovery well, 12 km (7.5 mi) to the south.
Whirlwind shares the same source rock and reservoir seal, but the crest of this basement structure is much deeper at 9,514 ft (2,900 m) TVD subsurface, compared to 3,608 ft (1,100 m) TVD at Lancaster. Water depth is just below 200 m (656 ft).
Hurricane says a previous operator discovered oil in the poor quality sandstones overlying the prospect, but this is the first well to target the underlying fractured basement.
The aim is to drill a deviated well and firm up understanding of the basement structure’s reservoir properties through measurement while drilling and wireline logging. If the well leads to a commercial discovery, it will likely be suspended for re-entry next year and a full testing program.
All current work should take 60 days to complete, and cost £18 million ($27.85 million).
08/30/2010
