Offshore staff
LONDON -- Production from the Ebok field offshore southeast Nigeria has exceeded expectations, according to operator Afren.
Currently five wells are onstream, delivering a sustained flow rate of more than 17,000 b/d of oil.
Operations started in February following installation of production processing and storage facilities. The development involves two unmanned wellhead platforms – one in the central fault block area and one at the west fault block – tied back to a mobile offshore production unit (MOPU).
From the MOPU, processed crude oil is transported to a spread-moored FSO for storage prior to sale into the international market. Production from Phase 1 focuses on the central fault block area.
The jackupGSF High Island VII is working on Phase 2 development drilling, targeting the west fault block area. Four pilot wells were drilled in 2010, and Afren has since installed the conductor casing for the first five production wells from this location. Phase 2 should come onstream at 20,000 b/d of oil.
Phases 1 and 2 should access roughly 60% of Ebok’s 2P reserves base of 106.2 MMbbl. To exploit the remaining 2P reserves and to build production toward the MOPU capacity of 50,000 b/d, Afren partner Oriental Oriental Energy Resources plans to continue development through end-2012, using the 12 available well slots to drill additional horizontal producers into as yet un-produced reservoirs.
The Ebok development also should serve as a hub for the wider Ebok/Okwok/OML115 area, allowing for rapid monetization of any future development prospects.
Okwok holds estimated recoverable resources of 51.8 MMbbls. Conceptual development studies are in progress, but a stand-alone solution looks likely. Afren plans to drill an additional appraisal well at the field in 2011 to test further upside potential, and to acquire new 3D seismic over the area.
In the second half of this year, the partners also expect to drill an exploration well targeting the 35-MMbl Ebok North prospect, an untested fault block in the northern area of the field.
Another exploration well on OML 115 will target the 60 MMbbl Ufon prospect. Ufon is interpreted to have oil prospectivity in the same D series reservoirs proven to be oil- bearing at both Ebok and Okwok.
At Okoro, another Afren-operated field off Nigeria, a two-well infill drilling program has been completed, and the Okoro-11 and Okoro-12 wells are now onstream. As a result, overall production from the field has increased to 21,000 b/d.
05/23/2011
