BW’s Tortue appraisal well hits oil (Gabon)

BW Offshore, an FPSO specialist turned oil company, has completed the appraisal well drilling at the Tortue field, offshore Gabon, hitting oil in targeted reservoirs.

The well, named DTM-3, was designed to appraise the western flank of the Tortue field attempting to extend the known distribution of hydrocarbon resources within the Gamba and Dentale formations.

BW Offshore said the well achieved the key objectives. It confirmed the presence of oil in the western flank of the Gamba formation which had previously been classified as contingent resources. This will likely lead to additional development drilling in this part of the field once evaluations are completed and necessary approvals obtained.

Furthermore, the well penetrated some 30 meters of a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir within the Gamba and immediately underlying Dentale Subcrop Sandstones at a structural position matching the pre-drill estimate.

Also, BW Offshore said, the well, drilled to a total depth of 3550 meters, hit additional hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs in the Dentale D2B and Dentale D6 reservoirs.

The Tortue field is one of four existing oil discoveries in the Dussafu Exclusive Exploitation Area (EEA) operated by BW Offshore’s subsidiary, BW Energy Gabon (BWEG)  holds a 91.667 percent interest. Its partner Panoro holds an 8.33 percent interest.

Related: Gabon green-lights amended Tortue oil field development plan

Carl K. Arnet, CEO of BW Offshore, said: “The appraisal well confirms the high quality of the Tortue field and gives us further confidence in the upside potential of the Dussafu license. We continue to execute on the development plan towards first oil in the second half of 2018 as planned.”

Future planned operations include an additional horizontal development well, the DTM-3H, which will target the Gamba Sandstone formation in the central part of the field. Prior to drilling the DTM-3 appraisal well, BW drilled the DTM-2H production well, and encountered a long horizontal section of oil-saturated Dentale D6 sandstone.

BW Offshore will use the Borr Norve jack-up drilling rig for the next well. The rig was used for both DTM-2H and DTM-3 drilling.

BW Offshore will link two production wells to the Adolo FPSO (formerly Azurite FDPSO) via subsea trees and flowlines. Before being selected by BW for the Tortue development, the Adolo FPSO previously operated on the Azurite field. The unit is currently at a Keppel shipyard in Singapore in preparation for deployment. After being officially named BW Adolo, the FPSO is preparing to set sail to its final offshore location soon. First oil is planned for 2H 2018.

Offshore Energy Today Staff