Falkland well proves oil and gas extension

SALISBURY, UK – Rockhopper Exploration has found oil and gas while drilling the Casper prospect in the North Falkland basin.

The semisub Ocean Guardian drilled well 14/10-9 5.9 km (3.6 mi) southwest of the Sea Lion 14/10-2 discovery well toward the southern edge of license PL032. It was designed to penetrate multiple targets in Casper, the Sea Lion Main Complex, and the Kermit structure.

The well was successful in both Casper and Sea Lion, proving a good-quality reservoir package and oil column. In Kermit, the well encountered good-quality sands with oil shows.

Casper was penetrated in an updip position west of the structural low, around 4.8 km (2.9 mi) west of the 14/10-8 well. Reservoir quality was good with porosity of up to 27% and permeability of up to 232 md.

Wireline logging and formation testing suggest 8.4 m (27.5 ft) of net gas pay above 9.6 m (31.5 ft) of net oil pay. Rockhopper says the presence of a gas cap would likely enhance oil productivity from Casper, and development of Sea Lion could include this location for a potential gas disposal well.

At the Sea Lion Main Complex (SLMC), the well penetrated both the SL10 and SL20 lobes, with reservoir porosity of up to 27% and permeability of up to 1285 md.

Net oil pay was 22 m (72 ft) in the SL10 and 14 m (46 ft) in the SL20. Also evident was a free water level with a 10-m (33-ft) transition zone above at 2,501 m (8,205 ft) at the base of the SLMC.

As for Kermit, reservoir sands were water wet with shows.

Rockhopper next plans to side track the well in order to core both the Casper and Sea Lion formations. After completion of this work, the well will be plugged and abandoned.

In the same region, Rockhopper has received regulatory approvals to assume operatorship from Desire Petroleum of license PL004b. After the current well is completed, a well will be drilled here 6.3 km (3.9 mi) southwest of the 14/10-9 well, targeting the most southerly extent of the SLMC and also the Beverley prospect.

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