World news
In brief
June
2015
Oilfield Technology
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5
Spectrum and Schlumberger in Mexico deepwater seismic
survey agreement
Multi‑client seismic company Spectrum has announced that it has entered into a co‑operation
agreement with Schlumberger, the world’s leading provider of oilfield services to the upstream
E&P industry, to jointly acquire and process Spectrum’s offshore Mexico Campeche‑Yucatan
2D regional multi‑client programme. The co‑operation agreement includes more than 44 000 km
of regional 2D seismic data in the new frontier area.
The new 2D regional programme provides a seamless tie to Spectrum’s Big Wave
Multi‑Client programme in the northern and eastern areas in the US section of the Gulf of
Mexico. The long offset 2D survey was designed to best illuminate the complex structures
located in the deepwater area, including both pre‑salt and post‑salt plays.
Richie Miller, EVP Multi‑Client North & South America, Spectrum comments: “Spectrum
is pleased to have the opportunity to collaborate with Schlumberger on this unique
programme, which leverages both [our] expertise with 2D regional programmes worldwide and
Schlumberger’s extensive geological and geophysical knowledge.”
Schlumberger has been continuously present in Mexico, supporting the industry for a
broad range of services, since the late 1930s. The two companies believe that the Mexico
Campeche‑Yucatan 2D regional programme will reveal exciting new exploration opportunities,
given its location adjacent to the highly productive and prospective areas in the US section of
the Gulf of Mexico and prolific areas in Mexico to the southwest.
Total begins production at
Russian gas field
Total has announced the start‑up of gas and
condensate production from the onshore
Termokarstovoye field, located in the
Yamalo Nenets Autonomous District of the
Russian Federation. The field will produce
around 6.6 million m
3
of gas and 20 000 bbls
of condensate per day, with a combined
production capacity of 65 000 boe/d.
The project infrastructure is adapted
to Arctic conditions and includes a gas
gathering network, a gas treatment plant,
a gas condensate de‑ethanisation facility
and export pipelines. The field is operated
by Terneftegas, a joint‑venture between
Russia’s second biggest natural gas
producer Novatek (51%) and Total (49%).
“We are delighted with the start up
of [the field], the first project executed
together with our strategic partner in
Russia Novatek, with whom we are also
jointly developing the Yamal LNG project,”
commented Michael Borrell, Total’s
Senior VP E&P, Europe and Central Asia.
Falkland Oil & Gas gives
‘Isobel Deep’ update
Falkland Oil and Gas Limited, the
exploration company focused on its
licence areas to the North, South and
East of the Falkland Islands, has provided
an operational update on the 14/20‑1
‘Isobel Deep’ well that was spudded by
Premier Oil (as operator) on 8 April.
A zone of suspected elevated formation
pressure was penetrated at the base of the
current 12 ¼ in. hole section and oil shows
were also encountered in this interval.
The operator has decided to run an
additional casing string before drilling
ahead through the main reservoir target
to total depth. This scenario had been
anticipated and the additional 9 ⅝ in. casing
is already on the rig.
This additional activity will add
approximately 10 ‑ 15 days to the schedule
and final results are now expected in
early June. The work has no financial impact
on FOGL as the costs will be carried by
Premier Oil and Rockhopper Exploration.
Mexico
The Mexican government has announced
the next phase of its Round One onshore
oil and gas licensing round, covering
26 fields.
The fields are located in the Burgos,
Tampico‑Misantla and Salina‑Sureste
Basins. Analysts at Wood Mackenzie
have stated that this round is likely to be
more attractive to smaller companies,
especially if the round offers “small fields
and flexible pre‑qualification criteria.”
Iran
According to sources, Iran has plans to
expand its oil exploration activity in the
Caspian Sea beyond the already known
Sardar‑e Jangal field.
Exploration operations have
reportedly already started at Block 8‑1;
an exploratory well of 5000 m in depth is
expected to be drilled, with operations
being conducted entirely by Iranian
companies.
The US EIA has previously estimated
the Caspian Sea to hold 0.5 billion bbls of
oil and 1 trillion ft
3
of natural gas.
Guyana
ExxonMobil has announced that it has
made a significant oil discovery offshore
Guyana.
The well, located in the Stabroek
Block, was drilled to 5433 m in water
depths of 1743 m and encountered more
than 295 ft of high quality oil‑bearing
sandstone reservoirs.
Stephen M. Greenlee, President of
ExxonMobil Exploration Company, said:
“I am encouraged by the results of the
first well on the Stabroek Block. Over the
coming months we will work to determine
the commercial viability of the discovered
resource, as well as evaluate other
resource potential on the block.”
June 2015
