Managing director and CEO Adrian Cook said: “The Apus structure has both targets that may result in new standalone fields or that maybe tied into the planned Dorado oil field facility. Options for exploration drilling are being advanced, recognizing that a decision to commit to a drilling rig will be subject to an assessment of business conditions at the time.”
Apus is in a water depth of around 75 m (246 ft), with a depth to the top of the reservoir of less than 2,500 m (8,202 ft). According to the company, this is significant as reservoir properties generally improve at shallower depths: with proven deliverability of equivalent reservoirs at Dorado, 2,000 m (6,562 ft) deeper, reservoir quality does not appear to be a risk at Apus.
An upside discovery at Apus could support a standalone development, or a tieback to Dorado, extending the maximum liquids rate plateau of the production facilities. And the shallow target suggests there is likely a higher ratio of liquids (relative to gas) compared with Dorado.
Petrus and Kepler are in 85 m (279 ft) water depths and can therefore be drilled using a lower-cost jackup type rig. They are respectively 14 and 18 km (8.7 and 11.2 mi) east of the proposed development location at Dorado field.
The FPSO and wellhead platform designs under development for Dorado allow for tiebacks of future discoveries. Carnarvon is also assessing Pavo and other newly identified prospects close to the proposed development.
09/17/2020
