Offshore staff
GODALMING, UK – The semisubmersible Transocean Spitsbergen has spudded the 205/23-A exploration well on the Halifax prospect west of Shetland for Hurricane Energy.
Hurricane’sLancaster Pilot well (205/21a-7) last year encountered a minimum oil down to of 1,620 m (5,315 ft) TVDSS, indicating that the Lancaster oil field likely extends beyond the license boundary.
The recently awarded P2308 license containing Halifax extends northeast from the Lancaster license. If the current well demonstrates mobile oil outside of local structural closure, this would suggest that the Lancaster field extends farther northeast along the Rona Ridge.
Well 205/23-2, drilled on Halifax by a previous operator, encountered oil and gas shows in sandstones immediately above the basement.
Hurricane’s analysis of basement cuttings from this well also indicates the presence of oil, mitigating the oil charge risk to Halifax.
In addition, seismic interpretation suggests the presence of a well-defined fault network within the fractured basement of the Halifax prospect, analogous to that seen in Lancaster.
The current well is due to be drilled below local structural closure, followed by an open-hole drillstem test. If the DST is successful, the well will likely be deepened to investigate the oil-water contact.
01/16/2017
