U.S. oil and gas producer APA Corp. said on Sept. 29 it had plugged and abandoned Keskesi South-1 well on Block 58 offshore Suriname after encountering non-commercial quantities of hydrocarbons from drilling.

APA Suriname holds a 50% working interest in the block, with French energy major TotalEnergies holding the rest.

Block 58 covers 1.4 million acres and is in the early phases of exploration and appraisal, the company said, adding it has participated in four exploration discoveries and one appraisal success offshore Suriname in the past two years.

“The first appraisal well at Keskesi was a substantial step-out designed to assess the southern extent of the feature,” Tracey K. Henderson, APA’s senior vice president of exploration, said. “This location had the potential to confirm a very large resource in place if connected to the reservoir sands in the discovery well. However, suitable reservoir quality sands were not developed in the Campanian target at the Keskesi South-1 location. Data gathered from the well will be used to calibrate our geologic model and inform the next steps for Keskesi appraisal.”

The Maersk Developer has moved to the Sapakara South-1 well, where it will conduct a flow test of the previously announced appraisal success. Following the completion of the Sapakara South-1 flow test, the exploration program will continue with the spud of the next exploration well targeting the Krabdagoe prospect just to the east of Keskesi. The Maersk Valiant is currently drilling Bonboni, the first exploration prospect in the northern portion of Block 58. Both rigs are operated by TotalEnergies.

In addition to its 50% working interest on Block 58, the company also holds a 45% working interest in Block 53, where it plans to drill an exploration well in 2022.

Offshore