PEN-104AA required highly deviated drilling and inclinations of up to 66° were used. The well drilled through 65 meters (m) of Miocene reservoir formation, equivalent to a vertical thickness of 34 m. Drilling was stopped at 1,872 m MD (1,322m TVD), close to the anticipated depth of the gas-water contact determined from offset wells. The well, completed with a slotted liner and external casing packers, will be tested after the drilling rig, which is now being demobilized, has left the well site.
Ascent Resources has a 45.23% interest in the well; other partners in the project include DualEx Energy International Inc. (37.5%), Geomega (8%), Leni Gas & Oil Plc (7.27%) and Swede Resources Inc (2%).
The Fontana-1 well in Italy’s Latina valley continues drilling. It is currently at a depth of 99 m. The well, being drilled by a 50 tonne geotechnical rig, is permitted as a ‘geotechnical investigation well’ with its primary objective being to determine the nature and characteristics of the strata of the Carbonate platform at the Fontana location. As operations are only in daylight hours and with a five day per week work schedule, Phase 1 is expected to take some three weeks and Phase 2, the coring and evaluation of the target strata, will take at least a further two weeks. The results of the well will assist in finalizing a plan for further exploration in this area.
