?Details of an offshore Israel discovery were reported by Houston-based Noble Energy Inc. The #1 Tamar is about 60 miles offshore of Haifa, Israel, in approximately 5,500 feet of water and was drilled to 16,076 feet.
Noble reported more than 460 feet of net pay in three high-quality reservoirs from a subsalt Lower Miocene structure in the Levantine Basin of the Matan license. Testing performed on a limited 59-foot section of the lowest reservoir showed a gas flow rate of 30 million cubic feet per day, limited by testing equipment available on the rig. However, post-drilling and performance models indicate that 150 million cubic feet per day is possible, and estimated gross mean resource potential of the #1 Tamar is thought to be 5 trillion cubic feet.
Two additional exploration wells, including a possible second subsalt Lower Miocene prospect, are planned. Noble is the site operator and has a 36% working interest; other interest owners are Isramco Negev 2, 28.75%; Delek Drilling, 15.625%; Avner Oil Exploration, 15.625%, and Dor Gas Exploration, 4%.
—Larry Prado

?1 Brazil
In shallow Santos Basin waters, Brazilian state firm Petrobras discovered a thick gas column in reservoirs above the post-salt section from the exploratory well #6-BRSA-661-SPS (6-SPS-53). The discovery is in Block BM-S-7 in a water depth of 214 meters. The find was confirmed through cable tests conducted in the sandstone reservoirs situated at a minimum depth of 3,970 meters. Consortium partners are operator Petrobras, with 63%, and Repsol, with 37%. This find is important due to the potential for gas production in the shallow offshore area of the southern Santos Basin.

2 Norway
StatoilHydro reported results from wildcat #30/8-4 S at production license 190, located about 140 kilometers west of Bergen in the North Sea. The primary exploration target was Upper Jurassic reservoir rocks (intra Draupne formation in the Viking group) and the secondary exploration target was Upper and Middle Jurassic reservoir rocks (upper Heather formation and upper Tarbert formation in the Viking and Brent groups, respectively). No oil was found in the primary target, but it was found in the secondary target in a section of the Tarbert formation. The estimated size of the discovery is between 3 million and 15.7 million bbl. of recoverable oil. A formation test was performed but results were not made available. The well was drilled in 84 meters of water to a vertical depth of 4,155 meters and was concluded in the Middle Jurassic Ness formation.

3 United Kingdom
Venture Production Plc of Aberdeen has successfully tested #44/12a-3, a Cygnus Field appraisal in the southern sector of the U.K. North Sea. E&P Daily reported that the well tested the Carboniferous reservoir at equipment-constrained flow rates of 32 million cu. ft. per day of gas (gross). A Leman reservoir test showed flows at low rates, in line with pre-drilling expectations. Venture believes that the likely gross incremental reserves in the Carboniferous section of this fault block will exceed 100 billion cu. ft. A further appraisal well to test another fault block in the northeastern part of the field is planned. Venture has a 48.75% interest in the field, which lies in blocks 44/12a and 44/11a near the Caister Murdoch system area.

4 United Kingdom
Successful Breagh Field tests were reported by Aberdeen-based Sterling Resources Ltd. on its #42/13-5 and #42/13-5z wells in the U.K. southern North Sea. According to E&P Daily, dry gas flowed at a maximum rate of 26 million cu. ft. from several perforations at various intervals along a 1,200-ft. horizontal sand section. Partner Faroe Petroleum Plc (10% interest owner) indicated the wells may be suspended as future producers.

5 United Kingdom
Endeavour International Corp. announced a successful up-dip appraisal of the Rochelle undeveloped discovery in Block 15/27 of the U.K. North Sea. The Rochelle #15/27-11 appraisal was drilled to a total depth of 10,369 ft. and hit 77 ft. net pay in Lower Cretaceous Kopervik sandstone with average porosity of 24% and average hydrocarbon saturation of 86%. Pressure data and samples confirm 55 ft. of gas on top of 22 ft. of oil, with no oil-water contact: flow-test information is not yet available but the company estimates that more that 30 million bbl. of oil equivalent gross is recoverable. The #15/27-11 appraisal was drilled approximately two kilometers northwest of the #15/27-9 discovery. Endeavour, based in Houston, acquired Rochelle in 2006 and it lies in the Outer Moray Firth in the prolific Kopervik sand fairway between Goldeneye and Brodgar producing fields. Endeavour holds a 55.6% interest in the well and operates the block. Nexen Inc. is a joint-venture participant and holds a 44.4% interest.

6 Egypt
BP has finalized gas production in the West Nile Delta at the exploration well #Ruby-3 (Ji 50-2). The test is located within the offshore West Mediterranean Deep Water concession, approximately 66 kilometers from the Egyptian coast and was drilled in 920 meters of water to a total depth of 1,957 meters. Gas-bearing sandstones were penetrated in the Pliocene section. Evaluation of the drilling results is continuing in order to estimate the amount of gas resources. The #Ruby-3 was the last of six exploration and appraisal wells drilled by BP and its 20% partner German firm RWE Dea.

7 Gabon
Tokyo-based Mitsubishi MPDC Gabon has discovered oil in the Ebene license, offshore Gabon. The discovery was named Loche East Marine Field development, and production licenses are being prepared for the Gabonese government. Currently producing around 1,000 bbl. of oil daily from one well, Loche production is expected to reach more than 2,000 bbl. per day, with maximum reserve potential of 7.5 million bbl. Oil shows were seen during exploratory drilling in 2007 and have been verified by the recent appraisal well. Mitsubishi and France’s Perenco hold 50% stakes in the block.

8 Uganda
Heritage Oil Ltd. hit an oil-bearing column of 295 ft. that holds about 72 ft. of net oil pay at #3A Kingfisher sidetrack well in Block 3A, Uganda. The well was drilled to a total measured depth of 8,898 ft. and intersected all three Kingfisher Upper Miocene reservoir intervals present in #1A Kingfisher and #2 wells. Pressure data and fluid samples confirm the three reservoir intervals are connected with the three intervals production-tested in #1A Kingfisher (9,773 bbl. of oil per day) and #2 Kingfisher (14,364 bbl. of oil per day). Further analysis of the core data could provide an upgrade. The #3A Kingfisher has been suspended as a producer. Partners Heritage, with headquarters in Jersey, and Tullow Oil Plc are working on a development plan for the Albert Basin.

9 China
China’s state-owned CNOOC Ltd. has entered a joint deepwater exploration agreement with Anadarko Petroleum Corp. in the Pearl River Mouth Basin, offshore China. Anadarko, based in The Woodlands, Texas, indicated that the agreement on South China Sea Block 43/11 calls for CNOOC to take part in the exploration phase. Plans by both parties call for drilling a 13,130-ft. exploration well this year when a deepwater-drilling rig is available. Anadarko recently acquired 260 kilometers of 2-D seismic data in Block 43/11, completing all planned 2-D seismic activity on the acreage. Block 43/11 is directly south of Husky Energy’s huge Liwan gas discovery, and Anadarko believes it has similar potential to the Liwan area.

10 Australia
Houston independent Apache Corp. has made a shallow-water oil discovery at #1 Okapi, offshore Western Australia. The #1 Okapi exploration well, which lies in the WA-209-P permit in the Dampier sub-basin, hit a 39-ft. oil column in the primary Jurassic reservoir target. The well is in a water depth of 121 ft. and was drilled to a total depth of 4,643 ft. It was subsequently sidetracked but the results are not yet available. Apache said the company was hoping to combine #1 Okapi with other nearby small discoveries to tie into the Stag platform.

11 Australia
Apache Corp. has also reached total depth at its #1 North Linda appraisal well in TL/1. The well is located 17 kilometers northeast of Varanus Island in 34 meters of water, and was drilled to 3,319 meters; open-hole wireline logging operations have been completed. The #1 North Linda intersected a reservoir sand of approximately 35 meters in thickness. Current estimates indicate 40 billion cu. ft. of gas, plus associated condensate, are contained in the Upper Jurassic Biggada sandstone, which forms the producing reservoir in adjacent Linda Field. Apache operates the TL/1 site with a 68.5% stake, while Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Co. has 19% and Tap Oil Ltd. has 12%.