With current Black Sea drilling campaign drawing to a close, next one slated for mid-2024

Canada’s oil and gas player Trillion Energy is nearing the end of the first phase of its multi-well drilling campaign on a natural gas field in the Black Sea off Türkiye. As a result, the company intends to start planning its next drilling programme and secure a rig deal, so that, it can kick off drilling activities in mid-2024.

Trillion Energy hired the Uranus jack-up rig in May 2022 for its 2022 – 2023 drilling campaign on the SASB gas field and five long-reach directional wells and one re-completion were carried out so far. The company intends to continue to perform several new perforations of existing wells and begin to recalibrate the future drilling programme to optimize capital expenditures in a bid to get the best return. 

During the first phase of its drilling campaign in 2022 and 2023, the Canadian player disclosed the flow test results for the Bayhanli-2 well at the SASB natural gas field in June 2023 while the flow test results for the previous four wells  – South Akçakoca-2, Akçakoca-3, West Akçakoca-1, and Guluc-2 – were disclosed in early and late November 2022 for the first two wells and in mid and late March for the third and fourth ones.

Trillion has now disclosed the well results for the Alapli-2 well – the sixth one in its multi-well drilling programme – which has 32 metres of total gas pay in the A, B, C, and D sands of the Akçakoca Member, which is 22.7 metres thicker than the offset well Alapli-1. The company further added that 15.1 metres measure thickness of gas pay was perforated and tested in Alapli-2; 9.1 metres A sand and 6 metres D sand. A combined flow rate of 11.9 MMcf/d was obtained using a 24/64” choke. 

For the rest of 2023, the firm will focus on conducting field analysis to determine how to maximise gas production and ascertain which gas pools require additional wells in the next phase of drilling; complete reprocessing and remapping of the 3D seismic to delineate new stratigraphic exploration; and plan and organise the next drilling phase to maximise returns on deployed capital.

The next phase of drilling is expected to resume during mid-2024 and includes several sidetrack wells, long-reach directional wells as well as stratigraphic exploration wells. Five sidetrack wells have been engineered for the 2024 SASB drilling programme with certain long lead items purchased. These wells are expected to be drilled first, followed by several stratigraphic exploration prospects.

Furthermore, new 3D seismic re-processing is expected to be completed by October 2023 to facilitate the 2024 drilling programme. The new 3D seismic re-processing is expected not only to define stratigraphic exploration targets but also to delineate reserves in structural traps. Trillion plans to add three sidetrack wells to the development programme for the SASB field, increasing the total number of wells for this Black Sea drilling campaign from 17 to 20.

The Canadian firm’s Uranus rig contract mandated a minimum of 100 days of drilling time and allowed for up to seven well operations, corresponding with the company’s anticipated Phase I programme of seven wells at the time. Trillion will be seeking ways to maximise economics for the 2024 drilling programme.

To this end, the company has been actively negotiating a new drilling contract for the 2024 SASB drilling campaign. After the completion of the Alapli-2 well, the current drilling programme will be concluded for 2023 and during recalibration for the next phase, the Uranus rig will return to Constanta.

Moreover, Trillion is continuing with operations to maximise gas production at SASB. After the perforation of the Alapli-2 well, the wire line unit and tractors will be moved to the Akçakoca platform to carry out some additional perforations. The Guluc-2 well will have additional gas pay to be perforated as well as Akçakoca -3 and Akçakoca -1 wells.  In addition, West Akçakoca -1 will be the pilot well for the slim hole ESP pump to lower water loading.

Arthur Halleran, CEO of Trillion, commented: “Almost one year ago, we began drilling at the SASB gas field using advanced drilling technology to reach previously unreachable gas pools. We are pleased with the results of the first drilling campaign at SASB and believe our success on the field will continue.

“We look forward to opening a new dimension with the assessment of stratigraphic gas prospects on the SASB block and to maximise returns for drilling at SASB. The revenue generated by SASB gas production will now build a material cash balance and be used for other ventures.“