UK based oil and gas explorer Salamander Energy said that mobilization of the MB Century 26 drilling rig for appraisal drilling on the Dao Ruang gas discovery in Block L15/50, onshore Thailand, has commenced.
Salamander said that the first of the two, back-to-back appraisal wells is expected to spud on schedule, around the middle of this month.
The two appraisal wells are targeting the fracture network in the Permian carbonate reservoir as mapped on recently acquired 3D seismic.
The Ocean Sovereign jack-up rig, contracted for the block B8/38 for Gulf of Thailand drilling program, is currently held up in Johor, Malaysia.
The rig’s owner, Offshore Diamond, completes its foreign business license paperwork to allow entry into Thai waters.
Once these processes have been completed, the rig will be mobilized to the Bualuang field location for a program of up to three exploration wells and six development wells.
The first of these will be the Bualuang East Terrace exploration well, which is now expected to spud at the end of this month.