HOUSTON, Apr. 11 --The most recent drilling at Ceiba field off Equatorial Guinea found new pay zones and increased reserves, said operator Triton Energy Corp., Dallas.
Four wells averaged a combined 45,000 b/d in early April, up from 42,000 b/d in March. The remote field on Block G went on line Nov. 22, 2000, 14 months after becoming the Rio Muni basin�s first discovery (OGJ, Mar. 26, 2001, p. 30).
Triton�s Ceiba 9 well, planned as a water injector, found 174 ft of net oil pay. It will extend known field limits to the west and northwest, significantly increasing gross reserves from the 2000 yearend estimate of 113 million bbl, Triton said. Ceiba 9�s oil-water contact was 374 ft deeper than the OWC on the field�s south flank.
Ceiba 8, the field�s best well so far, had 413 ft of net oil pay, including 98 ft in a deeper pool not seen in any previous well. Pressure in the new pool is 400 psi higher than primary Ceiba oil reservoir pressure. Pressure measurements at Ceiba 8, drilled on the central Ceiba structure area thought to have uncertain reservoir potential, confirmed reservoir connectivity.
Ceiba 7 is the first well completed in the field�s laminated sand facies, from which Triton had booked no reserves at yearend. The sands have good deliverability and reservoir continuity and connectivity and can now be expected to make an important contribution to reserves, the company said.
Triton is refining its field geologic model to redetermine reservoir thickness, quality, and extent in the main pool.
The current development plan calls for 10 producing wells and four water injectors to be drilled and completed by early 2002.
The first five wells were in 2,165-2,621 ft of water in the Gulf of Guinea 22 miles off Bata on the Rio Muni coast.
Working interests are Triton 85% and Energy Africa Ltd., Cape Town, 15%.
