Flow testing of the Vitalba well produced 2.8 million cubic feet per day on a quarter-inch choke from the San 1 and San 2 levels, Po Valley said.
The company said the Vitalba result marked a three-out-of three strike rate for Po Valley in the past six weeks, after previously announcing positive test results on its Sillaro and Maddalena gas fields.
“The flow rates and pressure recoveries are significantly higher than the 1 to 1.5 million cubic feet per day we expected for the relatively small, nine-metre perforation,” CEO Michael Masterman said.
“The first well that ENI drilled in this field – Agnadello-1 - was a very good producer and these initial results look very good for us.
“Further reservoir delineation and evaluation is required but these results form a strong base to take our Vitalba gas field into production.”
Masterman said the strong Vitalba gas flow rate, as well as the successful results from Sillaro and Santa Maddalena, further validated Po Valley’s approach to exploiting proven, but undeveloped gas fields in Northern Italy.
The latest results are from testing two of three gas zones encountered in the Vitalba 1d deviation well during Po Valley’s mid 2005 drilling program. Technical problems were encountered during an initial test of the deepest level San 3, with the company deferring testing of the proven San 1 and San 2 levels until after the drilling of the Sillaro well.
