Discovery announced at Puma West well in US GOM
BP and its partners Talos Energy and Chevron have encountered oil pay in a high-quality, subsalt Miocene sand in the Puma West exploration project. The well is located in the US Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Green Canyon Block 821 and was drilled to a total depth of 23,530 ft, according to a statement issued by Talos on 13 April.
Fluid properties from the discovered Miocene zone carried similar properties as other productive Miocene reservoirs in the area. The co-owners will begin planning an appraisal program that will better define the discovered resource. The wellbore has been suspended as a keeper well to preserve future utility.
The Puma West exploration prospect was evaluated following the farm-in by BP to Talos-owned Green Canyon Block 821 and subsequent farm-in by Chevron. BP is the operator and holds a 50% working interest. Talos and Chevron each hold a 25% working interest.
The Puma West discovery is located less than 15 miles from the prolific Mad Dog field, operated by BP. Talos maintains an interest in more than 17,000 gross acres in the Puma West area.
Odfjell wins extension of contract for Deepsea Nordkapp
Aker BP has exercised the second 12-month option for Odfjell Drilling’s Deepsea Nordkapp, under the contract entered into between the parties in April 2018. This second option will commence after the first optional period expires in June 2022.
The approximate contract value for the exercised optional scope is $109 million, excluding any integrated services. In addition, a performance bonus will be applicable.
An additional scope-based option period has been agreed upon. If exercised, it would follow completion of the firm period and have a duration of up to 12 months.
In separate news, Equinor has extended its agreement for the Deepsea Atlantic to drill one new well. The well was exercised under the Continued Optionality mechanism in the contract entered into between the parties in May 2018, as part of the overall Master Frame Agreement. The work will commence after the completion of the current scope, estimated to be in Q2/Q3 2021.
Further, TAQA in the UK has awarded Odfjell Drilling a five-year contract for the provision of Platform Drilling & Maintenance Services on its North Sea installations, including North Cormorant, Harding, Tern Alpha, Brae Alpha and East Brae.
Odfjell is the incumbent platform drilling and maintenance services contractor for three of these installations under a contract awarded in 2017. This new agreement will replace the existing contract, with the addition of Brae Alpha and East Brae. The new contract will be effective from 15 June 2021.
Tullow begins multi-well campaign on jubilee field with Maersk Venturer
Tullow Oil has kicked off a multi-year, multi-well drilling campaign offshore Ghana, with the commencement of drilling of the first well on the Jubilee Field on 5 April. Maersk Drilling’s Maersk Venturer drillship, which has been contracted for four years, is expected to drill four wells in 2021 (two Jubilee production wells, one Jubilee water injector well and one TEN gas injector well).
The estimated value of the four-year contract for Maersk Drilling is approximately $370 million. The contract has a progressive dayrate structure for the full duration. After an initial period of 18 months, contract provisions will permit a shift to a market-linked dayrate structure.
Equinor discovers oil in North Sea’s blasto prospect
Equinor has made its biggest discovery so far this year on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Preliminary estimates place the size of the discovery between 12 million and 19 million standard cu m of recoverable oil equivalent, corresponding to 75-120 million BOE.
Exploration wells 31/2-22 S and 31/2-22 A in the Blasto prospect of production licenses 090, 090 I and 090 E were drilled about 3 km southwest of the Fram field. These are the first and second exploration wells in production license 090 I, awarded in 2017. The wells were drilled by Seadrill’s West Hercules semisubmersible, which is proceeding to drill exploration 34/6-5 S in production license 554 in the northern North Sea.
Maersk Viking awarded work offshore Gabon, Malaysia
Maersk Drilling recently announced two contracts for the Maersk Viking. The drillship will first fulfill a one-well deal with PC Gabon Upstream, a subsidiary of Petronas, to drill on Block F13 offshore Gabon. The Maersk Viking has also been awarded a contract to drill four development wells at the Gumusut-Kakap project offshore Malaysia, under a contract with Shell. The contract is expected to commence in December 2021. The contract includes five additional one-well options for work offshore Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam.
