LONDON – Tullow Oil has proven oil in the Orinduik license offshore Guyana, the country’s first commercial discovery outside the prolific Stabroek block.
The drillship Stena Forth drilled the Jethro-1 exploration well in 1,350 m (4,265 ft) of water, to a TD of 4,400 m (14,331 ft). Logging data confirmed the find, in good-quality oil bearing sandstone reservoirs of Lower Tertiary age.
The well, which has since been cased, encountered 55 m (180.5 ft) of net oil pay. According to Tullow, the result suggests a recoverable resource above pre-drill estimates. Later this year the company will also participate in the Carapa 1 well on the adjacent Kanuku license, designed to test the Cretaceous oil play.
Other partners in the Orinduik license are Total, Qatar Petroleum and Eco Atlantic.
Colin Kinley, COO of Eco Atlantic, said: “This discovery was made due to our team at Eco and Kinley Exploration stepping out beyond the conventional exploration plays and seeking new resources through old-fashioned exploration science.
“The Jethro-1 well confirms the continuance of the petroleum system onto the Orinduik block, updip from the prolific discoveries on the ExxonMobil-operated Stabroek block. The well has resulted in a mitigation of risk of the presence of quality reservoir sands, seal and trap parameters.”
Gil Holzman, the company’s CEO, added: “With multiple targets to consider, and Joe as the next prospect to be drilled, we will now pursue our evaluation of the timing for wells to develop the Jethro field and to expediently bring it on production. We are funded for at least six additional wells.