Nigerian operator Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum (YFP) has hit hydrocarbon pay at the Aje-5 production well on the OML 113 license, offshore Nigeria, according to partner Panoro Energy.
Aje is an offshore field located in the western part of Nigeria in the Dahomey basin close to the border with Benin. The field is situated in water depths ranging from 100-1000m about 24km from the coast.
The targeted depth of 3255m was reached with drilling performed by the Saipem Scarabeo 3 semisubmersible drilling rig in 300m water depth. The well was drilled as a deviated well targeting close to the Aje-2 well subsurface location. Aje-2 was drilled in 1997 and encountered and tested a high quality oil-bearing Cenomanian reservoir. Drilling operations at Aje-5 have been completed ahead of schedule with no safety related incidents reported and the well is now being completed as a subsea oil production well.
The Aje Field contains hydrocarbon resources in sandstone reservoirs in three main levels - a Turonian gas condensate reservoir, a Cenomanian oil reservoir and an Albian gas condensate reservoir.
The Aje-5 well intersected 72m (true vertical measurement) of gross hydrocarbon-bearing Turonian sandstone. The reservoir has been evaluated using data obtained from a limited suite of LWD logging tools including resistivity and gamma ray and 9 5/8in casing was set across this Turonian reservoir interval to isolate it. The LWD data is consistent with data from the Aje-1, Aje-2 and Aje-4 wells which all intersected a condensate-rich gas column with an underlying liquid oil rim of around 9m. Preliminary indications are that the net reservoir over this interval in Aje-5 is slightly better than had been seen in these previous wells. The Aje joint venture partners are continuing to evaluate opportunities to commercialize this significant hydrocarbon resource in the future.
The Aje-5 well subsequently resumed drilling to the target Cenomanian where the well encountered 19.4m (true vertical measurement) of gross oil-bearing reservoir. A fuller set of LWD tools including gamma ray, resistivity, neutron and density have been run which confirm the presence of oil consistent with pre-drill estimates. The rig has now set a 7in production liner and the Aje-5 is currently being completed as a Cenomanian production well. After these operations the rig will be moved to re-enter the existing Aje-4 well to complete it as a second Cenomanian production well. A further operational update will be provided at that time.
“We look forward to reaching first oil in the coming months and establishing a renewed platform for 2016 and beyond," said John Hamilton, Panoro Energy CEO.
Panoro Energy holds a 6.502% participating interest in OML 113 (with a 12.1913% revenue interest and 16.255% paying interest in the Aje Field).
Image: Aje field map/Panoro Energy
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