Houston-based Apache encountered oil pay at the Phoenix South-1 well, in Canning basin, off the North West Shelf of Australia.
Apache says that preliminary estimates show that there might be as much as 300MMbbl in place.
The Phoenix South-1 well is 180 km north of Port Hedland in 133m of water depth.
At least four discrete oil columns ranging in thickness between 85m and 151m in the Triassic Lower Keraudren formation were detected with wireline and formation pressure tools, within an overall sand-rich section 4160-4500m below sea level.
Six light oil samples have been recovered from three intervals to date and permeability measurements from the sampled zones indicate a productive oil reservoir.
Apache says evaluation of the formation penetrated in the Phoenix South-1 is under way, and final calculation of hydrocarbon pay will depend on additional analysis.
“Although evaluation is at an early stage, Phoenix South-1 is an exciting result,” says Thomas E. Voytovich, Apache’s executive vice president and CEO – International. “The oil and reservoir quality we have seen point to a commercial discovery. If these results are borne out by further appraisal drilling, Phoenix South may represent a new oil province for Australia."
Further drilling and evaluation is planned for 2015.
Apache is the operator of WA-435-P with a 40% interest with partners Caranarvon Petroleum (20%), Finder Exploration (20%) and JX Nippon (20%).
The area includes a number of large, undrilled structures, including the Roc prospect on WA-437-P, in which Apache operates, with potential to be significant additional oil accumulations.
Apache also has exercised its option to acquire 40% interest and operatorship of two additional adjacent permits (WA-436-P and WA-438-P) for a total position of more than 20,000sq km.
Less than a month ago, Apache found gas and associated liquid hydrocarbons in the Roebuck basin in the Phoenix-1 South well just before a drill bit failure.
The Pheonix-1 South exploration well was spudded in late May 2014 using the Atwood Eagle semisubmersible drilling rig. The spudding of the well was delayed and pushed back to Q2 2014 by Apache due to other projects incorporated into Apache’s operational timetable. Carnarvon added that the delay in drilling was also timed to avoid the risk of cyclone activity, which may have affected the project.
Image of the Atwood Eagle from Atwood
Read more:
Apache finds gas off Western Australia
Apache to begin drilling Phoenix South-1 off WA
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