Geopetrol might need another CBM rig
Geopetrol could soon be looking for a 1000-hp CBM rig to drill 15 pilot wells as it ponders whether to enter Phase-II at a CBM block in Madhya Pradesh.
Monaco-based Geopetrol, along with partner Anil Ambani controlled ADAG, and the DGH, are planning to hold a block ‘steering committee’ meeting this week (on or around July 25) to decide whether ‘good gas content’ discovered in four of 12 coreholes drilled in Phase-I at the 609-sq km Sohagpur North CBM block or SP (N)-CBM-2005/III is enough to merit further activity. “Exact gas flow rates are yet to be established,” confirms the DGH, “but Geopetrol thinks it can produce commercial quantities from this block.
” If it decides to go ahead operator Geopetrol will need to approach the DGH for another six month extension to Phase-I, which officially ended in August 2012. Two earlier extensions have run their course.
"This third extension will be set off against Phase-II," adds the DGH. This month (July) Geopetrol finished ‘fracking’ two production wells, using a rig from the Gurgaon-based subsidiary of Australian driller South West Pinnacle.
“This took 10 days,” adds Geopetrol. Under preparation now is the installation of pumps to de-water the area around the wells, a process the DGH believes could take up to five months.
Next Geopetrol will install sucker rod pumps (‘nodding donkeys’) to make the wells flow.
