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Friday, October 18, 2013
Cooper Energy has decided to drill a second deviated well bore (ST-2) at its Hammamet West-3 location on Tunisia’s Bargou Permit to access hydrocarbon bearing fractures in the Abiod formation targeted and identified by the initial deviated well bore, ST-1.
The company’s decision to drill a second sidetrack was made following the production testing of ST-1, which successfully confirmed the presence of open hydrocarbon bearing fractures. The ST-1 could not be completed due to ongoing blockages and obstructions caused by lost circulation material (LCM). As previously reported the ST-1 recorded flow rates averaging 1,290 bpd for 1.5 hours on August 7; this included oil to surface, in initial testing before blocking of the test string by LCM.
Numerous attempts since that date to clean up the well and resume testing have all resulted in further blockages and obstruction. It is believed that a successful production test of ST-1 will be unlikely, and accordingly, is completing operations to plug and abandon ST-1 and prepare for the drilling of ST-2, using GSP Jupiter (currently on location), subject to the finalization of terms.
The Hammamet West-3 ST-2 will involve the drilling of a deviated 6 inch hole in the Abiod Formation from the Hammamet West-3 wellbore to intersect fractures located by ST-1 and the original fracture zone targeted, but not reached, by ST-1. Drilling of ST-1 was suspended at 3,443 meters (measured depth in meters below the rotary table) approximately 400 meters before the original prognosed total depth (TD) of 3,840 meters after experiencing large drilling mud losses and elevated gas levels while drilling through open fractures. LCM was introduced into the well bore to minimize drilling mud losses while drilling these sections.
Information acquired about the reservoir during the drilling of ST-1 is being incorporated into the design of ST-2 with the view that the mitigation provided has significantly increased the probability of success. In particular, it is expected that ST-2 can be drilled with significantly reduced reliance on LCM for control of losses and that the knowledge of fracture location provided by ST-1 has enabled the plotting of a more direct well path for ST-2.
It is expected that drilling ST-2 to TD will take approximately 28 days and testing and subsequent well suspension (or abandonment) a further 30 days. The cost of Hammamet West-3 to date is $80 million, of which Cooper Energy’s share is approximately $15 million.
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