Countdown to MJ-1 appraisal well at KG-D6
Everybody from gas consumers to private investors will be watching keenly as Reliance and partner BP prepare to begin drilling the first of three possible appraisal wells at its MJ-1 gas discovery at KG-D6.
PETROWATCH learns the oil ministry and the DGH have approved Reliance's plans to spud appraisal well MJ-1-A1 later this year, possibly in November or December. “At present we are carrying out well engineering and well design,” says a source.
“Only one (drilling) location has been identified but it is not cast in stone and the coordinates haven’t been released yet.” Reliance will spud well MJ-1-A1 in water depths of around 800 metres to 1000 metres using Transocean drillship DD-KG2, already on location.
“No TD has yet been finalised,” we hear. “It's still at the conceptual stage.
Six to eight weeks is how long we think it will take to drill.” Reliance confirms it will drill more appraisal wells after the results of well MJ-1-A1 are evaluated.
Reliance (60%) shares D6 with BP (30%) and Canadian explorer Niko Resources (10%). Niko publicly announced in August the consortium would drill three wells to appraise the MJ-1 gas and condensate discovery announced four months earlier.
Drilled to 4509 metres TD in water depths of 1024 metres, the discovery was made in a reservoir 2000 metres below the producing D1 and D3 areas. When tested MJ-1 flowed 30.6m cf/d (860,000 cm/d) of gas and 2121 b/d of condensate through a 36/64-inch choke.