IOG confirms gas discovery at Harvey appraisal well

Independent Oil and Gas (IOG) has reached a total depth at the Harvey appraisal well 48/24b-6 in the UK Southern North Sea Gas Basin, confirming a gas discovery. IOG is now starting the analysis required to reach a definitive view on resource range, reservoir quality, and deliverability.

IOG started drilling the Harvey appraisal well, using the Maersk Resilient jack-up rig, in early August.

In an update on Wednesday, IOG reported that the well had reached a total depth of 7,537 ft Measured Depth (MD) in the Permian Leman Sandstone reservoir, meeting the work commitment for License P2085.

According to the company, the top of the Leman Sandstone was encountered at 7,086 ft MD. Two 90 ft cores have been acquired in the reservoir along with a full suite of wireline logs, including pressure test and fluid samples, as well as Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP). Initial analysis of the wireline data demonstrates the presence of a 49ft gas column at the top of the reservoir.

The comprehensive wireline dataset acquired in the well will now be analysed along with core data and integrated into a revised technical assessment of reservoir gas volumes and deliverability, meeting the primary objectives of the well. This analysis will include full seismic remapping based on the results of the VSP.

This assessment will be used to analyse the options for a potential Harvey development. Harvey is centrally located within IOG’s asset portfolio, close to the Thames Pipeline export route. In the event that Harvey is of a size commensurate with a low-cost subsea development, it lies well within tie-back range to the Blythe platform which is a key part of the Core Project Phase 1 infrastructure.

The Maersk Resilient jack-up drilling rig currently remains on location and is forecast to go off contract on or around September 18, which would give a total well duration of 49 days, well within the planned two months.

Farm-out

On completion of the farm-out transaction announced on July 26, 2019, the company’s designated Core Project partner, CalEnergy Resources Limited (CER), will have the option to acquire 50 percent of the Harvey licenses within three months of completion of the appraisal well.

If this option is exercised, CER will pay an additional £20 million to IOG and a £0.95/MCF royalty on all of CER’s life-of-field net gas production from Harvey. This would maintain full alignment between IOG and CER across IOG’s entire SNS Assets.

Andrew Hockey, CEO of IOG, commented: “We have now confirmed a gas discovery at Harvey and are kicking off the analysis required to reach a definitive view on resource range, reservoir quality and deliverability. We will then evaluate Harvey’s development potential in the context of our Core Project, which will be fully-funded at farm-out completion.

“Our gas hub strategy implies a relatively low commerciality threshold for this discovery, which lies in the heart of our core asset base close to the Thames Pipeline. We are also pleased to report that the drilling rig has seen no HSE incidents to date.”

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