GeoPark has made gas discovery at the Jauke 1 exploration well in the Fell block located in Chile.
Image: An onshore drilling rig. Photo: courtesy of Rosemary Ratcliff/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
The Latin American oil and gas explorer, which holds 100% interest in the block, drilled and completed the exploration well to a total depth of 9,592ft.
The well has undergone a production test through different chokes in the Springhill formation which resulted in an average production rate of 5.8 million standard cubic feet per day of gas (or 970 boepd) with a wellhead pressure of 2,738 pounds per square inch.
GeoPark is looking to get more production history to determine stabilized flow rates of the well and the extent of the reservoir.
The well is in production, and the produced gas is being sold to Methanex through a long term gas contract.
GeoPark CEO James Park said: “This discovery illustrates the hydrocarbon-generating capacity of GeoPark’s unique Latin American multi-country platform.
“In addition to the new gas production, revenues, reserves, and upside this new field will contribute to our bottom-line, we are pleased to congratulate our younger generation geoscience team for this new success – further demonstrating the depth and range of the long term oil-finding capacity being continuously developed within GeoPark.”
A part of the large Dicky geological structure in the Fell block, the Jauke gas field is expected to have the potential for multiple development drilling opportunities, the firm said.
As per the Petrophysical analysis, the shallower El Salto formation has hydrocarbon potential. It is planned to be tested in the future.
The Jauke exploration effort is part of GeoPark’s 2018 overall 40-45 well drilling program in Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile – with five drilling rigs currently in operation.
Earlier this year, GeoPark made a new gas play discovery in Chile following the drilling and testing of the Uaken 1 exploration well.
At that time, GeoPark, in a statement, said: “The Uaken gas field discovery in the shallow El Salto formation provides additional low-cost production and creates a new gas play across the Fell block that can be tested in identified leads and prospects.”