Stena DrillMAX proves lighter oil north of SNE field offshore Senegal

Offshore staff

EDINBURGH, UK – The drillship Stena DrillMAX is P&A’ing the fifth and final well of this year’s campaign for the Cairn Energy-led partnership offshore Senegal.

SNE North-1, drilled 15 km (9.3 mi) north of the SNE-1 discovery in the Sangomar Deep Offshore block, in 900 m (2,952 ft) of water, encountered oil and gas in the main objective and oil in the deeper secondary objective, in a separate accumulation to theSNE field.

According to Cairn, the result has positive implications for further hydrocarbon potential to the north of the structural trend, and suggests broader exploration potential elsewhere in the permit.

The well, which reached a TD of 2,837 m (9,308 ft), delivered a 24-m gross hydrocarbon column across three intervals and 35° API oil of a lighter type than in the SNE field wells.

After completing conventional logging, the rig performed a series of modular formation dynamic testing mini-fracs across the reservoir section to help calibrate the geo-mechanical model of the SNE field and to assist design of development wells.

Cairn and its partners are reviewing the potential for further exploration drilling next year across the Rufisque, Sangomar and Sangomar Deep production-sharing contract area.

08/07/2017