Valeura proves more oil in two offshore Thailand concessions
Offshore staff
HOUSTON — Valeura Energy has made three further oil discoveries with its latest drilling campaign in the Gulf of Thailand.
The Nong Yao-13 well in the offshore G11/48 concession, drilled to a TVD of 3,342 ft, encountered more than 30 ft of new oil pay across several intervals. And the program confirmed that oil had migrated into this part of the block, previously viewed as a risk in the Nong Yao D area.
Productive intervals discovered are relatively shallow zones not produced elsewhere on the concession, and the reservoirs could recur across the Nong Yao D area, warranting further analysis on the seismic data.
Valeura will investigate potential locations for follow-up exploration and appraisal drilling nearby, in the hope of proving up sufficient volumes for a future development.
North of the Wassana oil field (G10/48 concession), two wells were drilled to identify new oil volumes in this area to justify a future development.
Niramai-4, 1 km northeast of the 2009 discovery Niramai-1 oil discovery, was drilled to 5,581 ft TVD and delivered more than 90 ft of new oil pay across two reservoirs.
Following evaluation, a sidetrack was drilled with a high-angle well (Niramai-4 ST1) to test the Wassana North prospect, a separate fault block just to the north of the Wassana Field. It reached a TVD of 5,782 ft, and proved about 40 ft of new oil pay.
The deepest oil-bearing zone was of particular interest, Valeura said, as the wellbore intersected the reservoir significantly downdip of the crest. Oil is interpreted to be present to the base of the reservoir, with no oil-water contact identified in the well.
That suggests further potential, both deeper than penetrated and more laterally expansive in the updip portion of the structure.
Combining the results with the known Niramai volumes, the total recoverable volumes could exceed requirements for another future development on the G10/48 block and could prolong the life of the concession beyond its current economic limit in 2032.
The contracted rig has since mobilized to the Nong Yao Field to drill two infill development wells on the Nong Yao A platform. Once commissioning has finished on the Nong Yao C MOPU, the rig will start development drilling on the Nong Yao C accumulation, with first oil targeted in early third quarter.
04.15.2024
