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E&P Plus

Editor's note: The full version of this article originally appeared in the February issue of E&P Plus.
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1. Mexico

Pemex has received permission to explore the onshore Tampico-Misantla Basin in southeastern Mexico in the states of Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosi and Veracruz. Pemex will explore for unconventional shale-based resources. Exploration wells will be drilled and tested in mature fields. With the development of additional resources, the country’s present production could increase by about 300,000 bbl/d to about 1.9 MMbbl/d in 2021 and 2.4 MMbbl/d by 2024. According to the country’s National Hydrocarbons Commission, Mexico’s unconventional resources amount to an estimated 67.8 Bboe, of which approximately 32 Bboe are in the Tampico-Misantla Basin.

2. Jamaica

A new prospective resource report for United Oil & Gas indicates unrisked, mean prospective resources of more than 2.4 Bbbl of oil across 11 prospects and two leads in the Walton Morant license offshore Jamaica. The report noted that the gross, unrisked mean prospective resource estimate for the Colibri Prospect is 406 MMbbl, which was compiled with an updated reservoir model based on a pre-stack depth migration study from a 3D seismic dataset acquired and processed in 2018 to 2019. Eleven wells have been drilled to date (nine onshore and two offshore) with 10 having hydrocarbons show.

3. Trinidad

Touchstone Exploration completed an exploration well at #1-Cascadura Deep in the Ortoire Block onshore Trinidad. The well was drilled to a total depth of 8,303 ft, and drilling operations were suspended due to high-pressure gas zones encountered. The venture hit a total sand thickness of 2,100 ft in multiple, stacked thrust sheets in the Herrera section. Wireline logs indicated gas pay totaling approximately 1,315 net ft in four unique thrust sheets from a depth of 5,455 ft to total depth. In addition, an aggregate 1,007 net ft of gas pay was identified in the overthrust sheets, an increase of about 20% compared to the #1ST1-Cascadura discovery, and additional gas pay of about 308 net ft was encountered in two previously untested Herrera thrust sheets below the sands observed in #1ST1-Cascadura.

4. Suriname

Petronas has announced a hydrocarbon discovery in offshore Suriname’s Block 52 at exploration well #1-Sloanea. The exploration well was drilled to 4,780 m and encountered several hydrocarbon-bearing sandstone formations with good reservoir qualities in Campanian. Further evaluation is planned to determine the full extent of the discovery.

5. UK

Jersey Oil & Gas announced a comprehensive subsurface evaluation across its licensed acreage. The study identified a significant new prospect, Wengen, in P2170, directly west of the producing Tweedsmuir Field. Four of the Greater Buchan prospects have been matured to drill-ready status: Verbier Deep; Cortina NE (J64); Wengen (P2170) and Zermatt (P2497). The prospects have an aggregate P50 prospective resource of 222 MMboe, which includes upside potential to Cortina NE. An exploration well is planned for 2022.

6. Norway

Equinor announced results from an offshore Norway discovery in PL 263 D. The wildcat well, #6407/1-8 S, is east of the Maria Field. The objective of the well was to prove petroleum in reservoir rocks from the Middle Jurassic Age (Garn and Ile) formations. The well encountered the Garn with a thickness of about 85 m, with reservoir rocks of moderate to very good reservoir quality. A 9-m gas column was encountered in Lange (Late Cretaceous), and there were three thin sandstone layers totaling 4 m with poor to moderate reservoir properties. Preliminary estimates place the size of the discovery to about 5.65 MMcf of recoverable oil equivalent. It was drilled to a vertical depth of 3,518 m and was terminated in Ile. Area water depth is 295 m. Additional testing is planned. This is the first exploration well in PL 263 D.

For additional information on these projects and other global developments, visit the drilling activity database at hartenergy.com/activity-highlights.