Joint venture partner Hardman Resources had been hoping the well would prove up a hydrocarbon fairway west of the Tiof field, but it made a relatively upbeat announcement on the dry hole.
“Whilst no significant hydrocarbons were found at Espadon-1A the result does not impact the prospects for good quality sands or oil charge in the main canyon system to the west of the Tiof field,” Hardman said yesterday.
“Indeed the thick shales encountered at the well location could assist in stratigraphic trapping of hydrocarbons within the fairway.”
Espadon-1A was drilled to a final depth of 3042 metres by the ‘Stena Tay’ drill rig, which is now about to move to the Tevét-2 well location.
Tevet-2 is a dual target well that will appraise the 2004 Tevet Miocene discovery, and also test the deeper Cretaceous section beneath the Miocene sand fairway.
Following the Tevet-2 exploration appraisal well, the ‘Stena Tay’ rig will drill Labeidna-1 exploration well, also in PSC B, before mobilising to Block 1 to drill Faucon-1 exploration commitment well.
The continuing 2005/2006 exploration campaign will also include a PSC C (Block 6) commitment well and further PSC A and B exploration work, Hardman said.
Meanwhile, the 'West Navigator’ drillship is continuing operations on Chinguetti development wells.
“To date, all upper and lower well completions have been finished successfully and three of the six production wells have been flow-tested for clean up and sampling purposes,” Hardman said.
“Flow tests on the remaining three producers will be run within the next month. This removes a significant amount of the technical risk on the project.”
Interests in PSC A are: Woodside (operator) 53.846%, Hardman 24.3%, BG Group 13.084%, Fusion/Premier 4.615% and Roc 4.155%.
Interests in PSC B are: Woodside (operator) 53.846%, Hardman 21.6%, BG Group 11.63%, Fusion/Premier 9.231% and Roc 3.693%.
Interests in Chinguetti are Woodside (operator) 47.384%, Hardman 19.008%, ROC Oil 3.25%, BG Group 10.234%, Mauritanian government 12%, Premier Group 8.123%.
