After the main suite of wireline logs had been run, Antares and Lamay wanted to proceed with additional evaluations, including a checkshot survey to calibrate the seismic and a large number of rotary and conventional sidewall cores for detailed information on reservoir properties, Antares said today.
But operator Santos USA decided not to participate in the collection of this additional data, therefore the costs were shared by Antares and Lamay on a proportional basis.
Antares said the evaluation was not yet complete but preliminary analysis indicated there were four potential reservoir units with hydrocarbon indications.
Two of the sandstone units correlated with strong gas shows (gas flared to surface) while drilling. One of the other gas-bearing sands was already protected by the previous casing string.
The evaluation of the open-hole section below 13,415 feet (4089m) was complicated by high temperatures and high pressures and very limited offset well control for the sparsely explored deeper intervals.
This evaluation was not conclusive enough for all parties to agree to fund the additional expense of running another casing string from 13,415ft to 18,200ft.
While Lamay and Antares were prepared to consider immediately running a casing liner to protect the potential gas-bearing reservoirs in the open hole, Santos did not support this.
Data obtained so far had been sent for laboratory analysis and would be reviewed as soon as it became available.
Antares managing director Howard McLaughlin said Antares and Lamay remained encouraged by the results of this well, particularly since sand thickness and apparent quality along with significant gas shows exceeded pre-drill estimates.
“Due to the nature of the open hole and the cost of having rig on location, we were unable to delay any decision on how to proceed until we had fully evaluated the downhole data,” McLaughlin said.
“We are pleased that we have preserved the option of further operations in the well in the future.
“We will continue the evaluation of the data with a view to potentially conducting further operations on this well in the future.”
