Byron strikes oil in Gulf of Mexico well

Byron Energy has completed the drilling of the SM 71 F3 well in the South Marsh Island Block 71 (SM 71) lease in the Gulf of Mexico. The SM 71 F3 proved to be Byron’s third successful well in the lease ahead of first production from F1, F2, and F3 expected in March.

Byron Energy is the operator of the SM 71 lease with a 50 percent working interest. The remaining 50 percent interest in the lease is held by Otto Energy.

Otto Energy said on Monday that the SM 71 F3 well, spud in early January, was drilled to a final total depth of 7,717 feet measured depth on January 26.

After logging the well with open hole triple-combo logging tools on January 27, operations to run 7 5/8” casing to total depth prior to temporary suspension for completion in the D5 Sand are underway. Hydrocarbons in five discrete intervals were measured using both log while drilling gamma ray and resistivity tools and wireline triple-combo porosity tools.

Otto added that the primary target in the F3 well was the D5 Sand which logged 211 measured depth feet of oil pay (175 feet TVT net oil pay).

“While only 70 feet away from the previously drilled SM 71 F2 well, the D5 Sand was 45 TVT feet thicker in the F3 and exhibits excellent rock properties with porosities in the 32% range. With the base of the D5 Sand in the F3 well 150 feet below the base of D5 Sand in the F2 well, the D5 Sand oil column has been further extended downdip. This means the total oil column proven by the three D5 wells is an astounding 1,160 feet,” the company said.

With the additional penetration of the D5 Sand in the F3 well, the operator noted an increase in TVT oil pay in the F2 well based on bed geometry and wellbore angle. The oil pay rose from a reported 117 feet to 132 feet.

Otto said that, due to the northerly wellbore trajectory of the F3 well, only the very updip portions of three other oil sands were penetrated. The J1, B55, and B65 Sands each logged approximately 5 feet TVT net oil pay in the F3 well, consistent with pre-drill expectations.

In addition to these three zones, the well also intersected 12 feet TVT net oil pay in the C10 which is currently not productive at SM 71. Pre-drill mapping indicated that the well would be at the very updip edge of C10 in this wellbore and this result sets up a further opportunity to be exploited in future wellbores.

Next phase 

According to Otto, the F3 well marks the end of the 2017 drilling program. The next phase of the SM 71 project will be to complete the F1, F2, and F3 wells for production. Also, final piping and instrumentation work on the SM 71 F platform is nearing completion. Production start-up is targeted for March. The company said that the three wells would utilize a high percentage of the SM 71 F Platform’s oil and gas production capacity.

Otto’s managing director, Matthew Allen, said: “Just like the results of the SM 71 F2 well, the SM 71 F3 well has delivered an exceptional result for the joint venture and the ultimate production life and value of the field.

“Not only will the result increase the D5 reserves, but the well has also shown that the J1, B55, B65 and C10 Sands are worthy of further evaluation as potential future drilling prospects which, in a success case, would be produced through the SM 71 F production platform.”