Well 14/10-2 on the Sea Lion prospect was drilled to a depth of 2,744mt during April and May 2010. Following completion of final logging, the well was suspended for future testing. The company intends to test the well at the earliest opportunity during the current campaign and test equipment is currently being mobilized.
The well penetrated what the company believes is a regional seal between 2,250mt and 2,374mt subsea. Based on log analysis, well site evaluation of shows and samples, sidewall cores and wireline formation testing, it appears that all sands encountered beneath this regional seal at the Sea Lion location are charged with oil and no oil water contacts were encountered.
The top oil sand in the Sea Lion well was encountered at 2,374mt subsea, and the base of the lowest oil sand (oil down to) level was encountered at 2,591mt subsea. The total vertical oil column is 217mt (712ft), with total net pay of 53mt in seven identified pay zones, the thickest of which is approximately 30mt gross.
Pressure data suggest the possibility of two separate oil columns, although this will have to be confirmed by a full well test. The main Sea Lion fan has a net pay interval of 34.5mt. Additional underlying sands have net pay totaling approximately 18mt.
The oil down to level of 2,591mt subsea is 116mt beneath the lowest mapped point of the Sea Lion fan. The entire Sea Lion fan has an aerial extent of over 45sqkm and there are strong seismic indications of thicker reservoir packages elsewhere in the fan. The oil down to level is significantly lower than the lowest point of the Sea Lion main fan.
Logging data are indicative of good quality reservoir, with average porosity of 19% and good permeability, the company said.
The company believes that the Sea Lion well has opened a new play fairway in licenses PL032 and PL033. The company said that it will now re-evaluate technical data in the light of information gained from well 14/10-2 with a view to de-risking the existing inventory of prospects and identifying new ones.
