Apache said that Tonto-1, the first producing well, commenced production at an initial rate of 10,346 barrels of oil per day.
The company drilled Tonto-1 as a deviated well from the Forties Bravo production platform.
During drilling, the appraisal wellbore encountered 62ft of net oil pay in an Eocene-aged sandstone reservoir at a depth of 6,325ft, which was followed by a horizontal completion lateral that logged 243ft (measured depth) of net oil pay.
Apache regional vice president for the North Sea James House said the seismic inversion processing unlocked pay in the Tonto field, which lies above the main Forties Paleocene reservoir.
"We penetrated Tonto several times in wells targeting Forties. New seismic techniques enabled Apache’s North Sea geoscience team to gain a better understanding of Tonto and establish a development plan," House added.
