Following the conducting of logging operations, the well is now being deepened and oil has also been observed over a 400m section in the volcanic and volcano-clastic intervals of the well which requires further evaluation.
Initial geochemical analysis of various hydrocarbon samples recovered from the well, undertaken by independent UK laboratories, confirms the presence of two oil types which have different origins and levels of maturity and are the first oils encountered in the current exploration campaign.
The T8-1 well, which has found gas in thin sands and has reached a TD of 3,250m, has been plugged and abandoned.
The T4-1 exploration well is located more than 100km north of Alpha and T8 and the well is currently drilling ahead at 1,900m.
Cairn Energy chief executive Bill Gammell said that the T8, Alpha and T4 wells are the first wells ever drilled in the Baffin Bay Basin which is similar in size to the North Sea.
"The presence of both oil and gas confirms an active, working petroleum system in the basin and is extremely encouraging at this very early stage of our exploration campaign for the Sigguk block and the entire area," Gammell said.
