Page 13 - LatAmOil Week 08 2023

LatAmOil BRAZIL LatAmOil

The well reached a measured depth (MD) of
2,382 metres on February 10 and is now under-
going wireline logging, it said.
The company added that it had drilled
Neon-1 with the objective of gaining an under-
standing of the potential range of recoverable oil
in the Neon discovery. It also reported that it had
been seeking to delineate the pathways of poten-
tial future production wells at the field.
According to the statement, the Neon-1 con-
trol well was drilled into the down-dip south-
ern flank of the Neon discovery in an effort to
minimise the possibility of oil-water contact.
Nevertheless, there was oil-water contact dur-
ing drilling at a down-dip estimated at 25 metres
MD. However, it occurred at a level that met
pre-drilling expectations and fell within the
predicted range identified by seismic analyses The Neon oilfield lies offshore Brazil in the Santos basin (Image: Karoon Energy)
prior to drilling.
While analysis is still ongoing, the log- drilled, it noted. It also reported that a deeper
ging-while-drilling (LWD) and wireline log data zone below the existing Palaeocene discovery
that are already available already confirm that was scheduled to be tested.
the Palaeocene sandstone primary target zones Going forward, it added, Karoon intends to
are present and crude oil-bearing. plug and abandon Neon-1 as it proceeds with
According to pressure tests conducted drilling the second control well.
throughout the Palaeocene section, the oil pres- “All the main objectives of the Neon-1 con-
ent lies on the same pressure gradient as the trol well have been achieved,” commented Dr.
crude found at the previously tested Echidna-1, Julian Fowles, Karoon’s CEO. “The preliminary
suggesting that the two wells are likely in results from the well, which confirm the pres-
communication. ence of 25 metres of net oil-bearing pay at this
Under these circumstances, the statement down-dip, flank location, are encouraging and
said, Karoon has decided to drill a second con- satisfy our minimum criteria to proceed with
trol well. Drilling Neon-2 will allow it to evalu- drilling Neon-2. The full logging suite currently
ate the quality of the Palaeocene units present being acquired will provide us with the data
and to determine the Palaeocene pressure con- required to fully assess reservoir quality at this
nectivity with the wells that have already been location.” ™

URUGUAY
Challenger Energy to wrap up first-phase

work programme at AREA OFF-1 in Q2 2023

AIM-LISTED Challenger Energy reported last on August 25, 2022, so work is being finished
week that it was on track to wrap up its work well ahead of schedule. In the meantime, Chal-
programme for the first four-year period of its lenger is examining its options for a farm-out
exploration licence for the AREA OFF-1 block deal, as it hopes to bring a new partner on board
offshore Uruguay during the second quarter of to fund a 3D seismic study.
2023. The addition of additional data will help
In a statement, the company noted that its the company achieve its aim of assessing the
programme included various technical studies, potential of the Aptian-age play source rock and
as well as the reprocessing of 2D seismic data. petroleum systems identified in the 2D seismic
Challenger did not divulge full details of its data collected at AREA OFF-1. Challenger’s
work, but it had said in a separate press release petroleum geologists have put forward the tech-
in January that it intended to carry out 2D nical view that the licence area, along with the
reprocessing and interpretation, along with 2D broader play system in Uruguay’s offshore zone,
seismic data licensing and geological and geo- is analogous to the deepwater and ultra-deep-
physical studies. water sections of the Orange basin offshore
The four-year exploration programme began Namibia.

Week 08 22•February•2023 www. NEWSBASE .com P13