Salamander Energy, an Asia-focused oil and gas company, has completed the Phase IV of development drilling on the Bualuang oil field, Block B8/38, offshore Gulf of Thailand.
The Vantage Emerald Driller jack-up rig arrived on location on March 26, 2010, for a drilling program that comprised the side-track of three existing slant production wells and their conversion to horizontal production wells. After the completion of operations, the rig departed from site on May 10, 2010.
All three sidetracked horizontal wells, BA02 ST2, BA03 ST2 and BA04 ST2 have been completed in the main producing area of the field with downhole electric submersible pumps and expandable sand screens. The wells each consist of 600mt to 800mt horizontal sections, and were successfully landed in the target zone between 3mt – 5mt below the top reservoir, the company said.
All three wells have now been brought on stream, having cleaned up and tested at stepped-up rates to determine well productivities. In each case, these are at upper end of pre-drill estimates. The wells will be choked back to produce at rates for optimal field management and reserves recovery.