Nov 30, 2011 - Petrobras has discovered a new collection of good-quality oil at the Santos Basin, off the southeast coast of Brazil. The company discovered oil in ultra-deep waters at well 4-BRSA-946C-SPS, or Bigua, using the Sevan Driller (UDW semisub). The discovery tested at 25 degrees API in an oil sampling. Petrobras will now begin drilling the third well, Carcara, in a few days. Petrobras serves as the operator of the area.

Nov 30, 2011 - BG Group has made a discovery in the Esperanza prospect in the UK sector of the North Sea. The 22/15-4 well reached a total depth of 9,427 feet (2,873 meters). The operator encountered a reservoir section in the Paleocene Forties sand at a depth of 8,684 feet (2,647 meters), which was drill-stem tested through 55 feet (17 meters) of perforations out of a gross interval of 73 feet (22 meters) of oil-bearing sand within the uppermost Paleocene Forties sandstone. While performing a drill stem test, the well flowed 39 degree API oil at an average rate of 1,784 Bbls through a restricted 36/64-inch choke. Poor weather conditions curtailed the well test before a maximum flow rate could be achieved. The operator said all necessary technical information was obtained, and no water or sand was produced during the test. Furthermore, COPL analysis of wireline logs and fluid samples conclude that in addition to the 52 feet (16 meters) of net pay situated within the uppermost Forties sandstone there is an additional 30 feet of extended potential pay.

Nov 30, 2011 - Statoil plans to fast-track its Vilje South satellite field, which is the third producer in the Vilje development. It is intended that this development will secure optimum drainage of its resources. The development compromises a standard subsea template with a single well, connecting to Marathon’s Alvheim field via a 12 miles (19-kilometer) flowline and umbilical. The subsea template is currently being constructed by Aker for installation in 2013, together with the rest of the subsea equipment. Statoil plans to conduct drilling work in two stages, starting in 2013 with completion that same year. The field is slated to commence production in 2013. Recoverable reserves in Vilje South are estimated at 7.6 million barrels of oil equivalent, mainly in the form of crude. Statoil operates the field with a 28.5 percent; while Marathon holds 49.9 percent; and Total holds the remaining 24.2 percent.

Nov 30, 2011 - Cairn Energy has plugged and abandoned the AT-7 well after it encountered a 371-meter (113-meter) gross interval, with 174 feet (53 meters) of net reservoir quality sands of Cretaceous age. The operator said the lithology of the highly permeable zone of losses remains unknown. Severe mud losses and poor-hole conditions have hampered the full evaluation of this interval, which was thought to be of potential interest because of oil and gas shows. Cairn performed an MDT program that recovered fluid samples to surface. The samples examined at the rig revealed only mud filtrate and failed to establish hydrocarbons. The operator will further analyze the data to determine the origin of the hydrocarbon shows. The prospect is located in the Atammik Block offshore Greenland.

Nov 29, 2011 - In November 2011, EnQuest sanctioned the development of the Alma and Galia fields. This $850 million project is expected to increase EnQuest’s production levels to more than 40,000 boepd in 2014. The development will consist of seven production wells and two water injection/disposal wells, tied-back to the modified Uisge Gorm Floating Production and Storage Offloading (‘FPSO) vessel. The development plan is designed to be capable of processing high water cut levels up to 95%.

Nov 29, 2011 - Anadarko has further upgraded its resource estimates for gas reserves in its Barquentine well after completing appraisal operations offshore Mozambique. The operator claims the estimates could exceed 30 Tcf. Barquentine-3 encountered more than 662 net feet (202 meters) of natural gas pay, expanding the estimated recoverable resource range from 15 to more than 30 Tcf, Dow Jones reported. "The positive results of each appraisal well we have drilled and analyzed have continued to increase our estimate of recoverable resources and natural gas in place on our block, and add to our confidence that this could be one of the most important natural gas fields discovered in the last 10 years," Anadarko Chairman and CEO Jim Hackett said. The discovery lies offshore Area 1 of Mozambique's Rovuma Basin. Anadarko operates the license with a 36.5 percent working interest. Partners in the license are Mitsui E&P Mozambique (20 percent), Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (15 percent), Bharat Petroleum (10 percent), Videocon Mozambique Rovuma (10 percent) and Cove Energy Mozambique Rovuma Offshore. (8.5 percent).

Nov 29, 2011 - EnQuest has encountered 52 feet (16 meters) of light oil in excellent quality reservoir sands in the Crathes exploratory well (21/13a-5). The well is currently undergoing wireline logging, before drilling ahead to intersect the Moon prospect. The well is being drilled by the Transocean John Shaw rig (mid-water semisub). The primary exploration target is the Crathes prospect, which lies within the Palaeocene section. The secondary target is the Moon prospect, which lies within the deeper Upper Jurassic section. Recently, Ithaca Energy acquired Challenger Minerals (North Sea) Limited. The acquisition included a dual target exploration opportunity in Block 21/13a alongside the Scolty and Torphins undeveloped discoveries. The operator will evaluate the potential commerciality of the joint development of Scolty, Torphins and Crathes/Moon. EnQuest serves as the operator of the block with a 40 percent interest while Wintershall holds (50 percent) and Ithaca holds (10 percent).

Nov 29, 2011 - Otto Energy has shut-in the Galoc oil field to perform upgrades in the field. While the FPSO Rubicon Intrepid is out of the field, seabed anchoring and riser modifications will occur in preparation for the reconnection of the vessel on return to the field in late 1Q12. Production should re-commence shortly after the FPSO reconnection.

Nov 28, 2011 - Lundin Petroleum has spud the third appraisal well on the Avaldsnes discovery on Block 16/5 in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. The planned total vertical depth of the well is 7,054 feet (2,150 meters) below sea level and the well is being drilled by the Bredford Dolphin semisub. Drilling operations should take about 40 days. The objective of the well is to appraise the discovery following the 16/2-6 discovery well in 2010 and the appraisal wells 16/3-4 and 16/2-7, drilled earlier this year. Lundin has estimated the discovery holds gross contingent recoverable resources at between 900 MM to 1.5 B barrels of oil. In total, the Avaldsnes/Aldous Major South discovery is estimated to contain gross contingent recoverable resources of 1.7 to 3.3 billion barrels. Avaldsnes is located on Block 16/2 in 377 feet (115 meters) of water. Lundin serves as operator of Production License 501 with a 40 percent interest. Partners on the license include Statoil with 40 percent and Maersk Oil with 20 percent.

Nov 28, 2011 - Rockhopper and Desire Petroleum have spud the 14/15-4 farm-in well on License PL004b in the Falkland Islands. Following completion of this well, Desire will have a 40 percent stake in the license, with Rockhopper having the remaining interest. The well is designed to investigate reservoir presence and hydrocarbon charge towards the southernmost mapped limit of the Sea Lion field. The well is also an exploration well on the Beverley prospect. Well 14/15-4 is located about 7.6 miles (12.1 kilometers) to the southwest of the 14/10-2 discovery well and 3.9 miles (6.3 kilometers) to the south of the 14/10-9 well. Rockhopper intends to drill to TD, then subsequently sidetrack to core should significant hydrocarbon charged reservoir be encountered in either Sea Lion Main Complex or Beverley. Initial drilling and logging operations should take about 20 days.

Nov 25, 2011 - Samsung Heavy Industries awarded Technip an engineering services contract for Statoil’s Valemon gas and condensate field. The contract covers detailed design, procurement engineering and follow-on engineering support for the Valemon fixed platform topsides. The contract is scheduled for completion in the second semester of 2012.

Nov 24, 2011 - Dong E&P will plug and abandon the 7121/9-1 wildcat well after it came up dry. The objective of the well was to determine petroleum in Upper Triassic and Lower Cretaceous reservoir rocks in the Knurr and Hekking formations. The well encountered the Knurr formation with considerably thinner reservoir rocks and with poorer reservoir quality than expected. Dong did not encounter reservoir rocks in the Hekkingen formation. The operator acquired data and samples. Well 7121/9-1 reached a vertical depth of 7,933 feet (2,418 meters) below the sea surface and terminated in Middle Jurassic rocks. Drilled by the Aker Barents semisub, the well lies in a water depth of 1,017 feet (310 meters). The well is located about 62 miles (100) kilometers northwest of Hammerfest and about 12 miles (20 kilometers) west of the Goliat field in PL 518. Dong operates PL 518 with a 40 percent interest; North Energy with 30 percent; Front Exploration with 20 percent; and Sagex Petroleum with 10 percent.

Nov 23, 2011 - Premier Oil plugged and abandoned its first wildcat well 9/1-1 S, which turned up dry, in production license 406. The well was drilled about 18 miles (30 kilometers) west of the Yme field and about 18 miles south of the 17/12-1 (Bream) oil discovery in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. Premier's goal was to prove petroleum in Middle Jurassic reservoir rocks (Bryne formtion). Data and samples were taken after better reservoir development was discovered, but drilling was terminated in Skagerrak formation in the upper Triassic. Vertical depth reached 7,234 feet (2,205 meters) below the sea surface. The Bredford Dolphin (MW semisub) drilled the well at a water depth of 285 feet (87 meters). Premier Oil operates the block with a 40% interest. Partners in the license include: Skeie Oil & Gas (40 percent); Spring Energy (20 percent).

Nov 23, 2011 - Lundin Petroleum has spud exploratory well Makouala Marine-1 well in Block Marine XIV Congo. The planned total depth of the well is 8,858 feet (2,700 meters) and is being drilled by the ENSCO 5003 semisub. Drilling operations should take about 30 days. The well is targeting a post-salt Sendji formation reservoir within a four-way dip closed structure. Soco International operates the block.

Nov 23, 2011 - Petrobras has confirmed the presence of good-quality oil in well 4-SPS-91 in the Santos Basin, in an area known as Tiro and Sidon. The well, named Patola, is located in a water depth of 981 feet (299 meters), some 124 miles (200 kilometers) off the coast of 2 miles (3.8 kilometers) from discovery well 1-SPS-57, in the Evaluation Plan area containing wells 1-SPS-56 and 1-SPS-57, in the former Block BM-S-40. Preliminary analyses indicate that this oil is of good quality, around 36 degree API. Petrobras will proceed with the activities and investments set forth in the Evaluation Plan, including drilling other wells in the area, and will proceed with an Extended Well Test (EWT). EWTs are currently in progress on wells 1-SPS-56 and 1-SPS-57.