French energy major TotalEnergies has completed a flow test at an appraisal well in Block 58 offshore Suriname, confirming an excellent quality black oil reservoir.
TotalEnergies is the operator of the block and holds a 50 percent working interest, while APA Corporation holds the remaining 50 percent interest.
APA reported the results from flow testing at the Sapakara South appraisal well as well as drilling results from the Bonboni-1 exploration well which turned out to be non-commercial. Both are located in Block 58.
As for Sapakara, flow and subsequent pressure build-up tests were recently completed at Sapakara South-1, an appraisal well drilled earlier this year on the eastern edge of Sapakara some 2.5 miles from the discovery well.
Sapakara South-1 encountered approximately 98 feet of net black oil pay in a single zone of high-quality Campano-Maastrichtian reservoir.
A restricted flow test averaged 4,800 barrels of oil per day for 48 hours. Without flow restrictions, a development well would produce at a significantly higher sustained rate.
According to APA’s preliminary analysis of the data, a single reservoir in Sapakara South-1 proved a connected resource of 325 to 375 million barrels of oil in place with exceptional reservoir quality.
The company added that seismic imaging of this Sapakara reservoir supported substantially more potential resources, which could be proven through additional appraisal drilling.
“We are very pleased with the flow test results. The data we’ve collected confirms an excellent quality black oil reservoir, which we believe will serve as a foundation for a development project in Suriname,” John J. Christmann IV, APA’s CEO and president, said. “The high permeability of the oil-bearing sand and its thick and consistent quality indicate strong well deliverability and, importantly, high recovery factors.”
On the other hand, the Bonboni-1 well – which was the first exploration well in the northern portion of Block 58 – was drilled some 28 miles from APA’s discoveries in the Maka-Kwaskwasi-Sapakara-Keskesi trend.
The well encountered high quality, water-bearing reservoirs and it penetrated 52 feet of net pay in a single zone, consisting of low-GOR, 25-degree API black oil. APA stated that the areal extent of this pay zone was not sufficient to support commercial development. The well will be plugged and abandoned.
“The results at Bonboni extend the proven petroleum system to the northern boundary of Block 58, confirming the presence of high-quality reservoir sands and the generation and migration of black oil. With the critical elements of reservoir and charge now proven, our focus turns to integrate well data to prioritize the numerous exploration prospects we have mapped in both blocks 58 and 53,” Tracey Henderson, SVP of Exploration at APA, added.
Following completion of operations at Bonboni, the Maersk Valiant rig will drill the Krabdagu exploration prospect, located east of Sapakara South-1. Krabdagu has a similar seismic signature to the two successful wells at Sapakara and the discovery well at nearby Keskesi.
Success at Krabdagu could materially increase the scope and scale of development in the central portion of Block 58. The company envisions a potential black oil development hub that would accommodate production from Krabdagu, Sapakara, and Keskesi.
The Maersk Developer is nearing contract completion and the rig will be released once operations are finished at Sapakara South-1. APA will mobilize the Noble Gerry de Souza to Block 53 early in 2022, where it has one committed well and options for two additional wells.
To contact the author, email bojan.lepic@rigzone.com
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