Sindhuja#1 well nears TD at CY-OSN-2009/2
Oil India's eastern offshore exploration well Sindhuja#1 is only 700 metres short of its planned 5600 metres TD.
By October 31 Transocean rig GSF-140 had drilled to 4900 metres below the seabed. Oil India sources tell this report drilling is proceeding "as expected under present geological conditions" or in other words through the hard/soft formations the drillbit is encountering.
"Oil India originally expected to reach TD within 120 days but it looks like it will take longer," we hear. Drilling is sometimes as slow as half a metre every hour and as fast as two metres every hour.
GSF-140 is currently drilling an 8.5-inch diameter hole. When TD is reached the drillbit will be pulled out and a 7-inch diameter production casing inserted and cemented.
Schlumberger has logged sections above the present depth and is analysing results, we hear. There have been no shows.
"It's still too early to say anything," adds a source. Sindhuja#1 is Oil India's first offshore exploration well in nearly two decades and was spud on June 5 at Cauvery offshore block CY-OSN-2009/2 on India's east coast.