More Dima Hasao well delay
Another delay has hit Oil India's first exploration well at OALP-3 block AA-ONHP-2018/3 in Assam's autonomous Dima Hasao district.
Spud on May 19 (2023), well DMH-1 at location ODHA is encountering subsurface problems in the hilly terrain. As a result, Oil India's original plan to complete the well within 80 days or by mid-August 2023 has been scrapped, and the drilling duration has increased to over 120 days.
"We can expect drilling to be completed only by October or November (2023)," says a source. "There has been a delay because of a sub-surface problem related to the hard and different geology here."
DMH-1 was spud by a 1400-hp Simplex Infrastructures rig after a four-month delay over safety concerns related to the rig and delayed compliance by Simplex. Oil India aims to drill the well to 2716 metres TD, but drilling slowed when the drill bit reached 1600 metres in the last week of August 2023.
On May 23 (2023), Oil India dropped the first casing when the drill bit reached 204 metres. Since then, it has not landed any further casing.
Our source adds that the rig will remain at the 1234.42-sq km OALP-3 block until November 2023, whatever the outcome. "This will impact the drilling schedule for two exploration wells in Karbi Anglong (in Assam), which might be pushed back to December (2023)," we hear.
Oil India wants to drill at exploration locations KNEA and KNEB at NELP-IX block AA-ONN-2010/2 in Karbi Anglong, where it is the operator with 50% alongside ONGC (30%) and GAIL (20%). Oil India holds 100% in the Dima Hasao block.