The second appraisal well, SNE-3, to be drilled on the SNE oil field, 100km offshore Senegal, has been re-entered and will now be drilled to planned total depth. SNE-3 well, located approximately 3km south of the initial SNE-1 discovery well, will further evaluate the potential of the SNE oil field. SNE-3 is the second of three wells planned to appraise the SNE and FAN oil discoveries.
The SNE-3 well follows the successful first appraisal well at SNE-2, which flowed oil at 8000 b/d constrained and estimated at over 10,000 b/d on an unconstrained basis. SNE-2 appears to have the same high quality 32 degree API oil seen in SNE-1.
The oil flows from the SNE-2 drill stem testing (DST) were important in demonstrating that the SNE field has the ability to flow oil at commercially viable rates as well as highlighting the potential of the upper "heterolithic" reservoir units to make a material contribution to SNE resource and production volumes. This positive result has helped confirm the overall scale and extent of the SNE resource base and is expected to support a future revision of the SNE resource estimates.
The SNE-3 well will be drilled in approximately 1180m of water to a total vertical depth sub-sea (TVDSS) of approximately 2782m and is expected to include an extensive evaluation program involving coring, logging and flow testing.
SNE-3 was previously drilled to a depth of 1755m by the Ocean Rig Athena prior to the spud of SNE-2. FAR Ltd., a partner in the Senegal JV appraising the discovery, expects SNE-3 to reach TD after re-commencement of drilling and after the completion of coring in the latter part of next month. It is expected wireline logs will then be run followed by a drill stem testing (DST) program.
A key aim of the SNE appraisal program is to progress towards proving a minimum economic field size for the SNE discovery, which FAR estimates to be approximately 200 MMbbl of recoverable oil as well as determining flow rates for the planning of a future development. In addition, the BEL-1 well, which will evaluate the untested Buried Hills play to test the Bellatrix exploration prospect, will also appraise the northern portion of the SNE oil field. BEL-1 will be drilled after completion of SNE-3.
Cairn Energy (40%) is the operator of the Senegal JV which includes partners include ConocoPhillips (35%), FAR Ltd. (15%) and Petrosen (10%)
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