Jubilant prepares for production testing in Tripura
Newly appointed Jubilant Energy chief executive Ajay Khandelwal must be a happy man.
Within days of his formal appointment as company CEO, the Bhartia family-owned Delhi-based explorer is believed to have struck gas while drilling the Kathalachari-I well in Tripura, near the border with China. Kathalachari-I is the second in a seven-well minimum work programme at NELP-IV exploration block AA-ONN-2002/1, where Jubilant is operator with 20%, alongside GAIL with 80%.
Details are scarce but PETROWATCH learns Jubilant is excited about the â€کstrike’ and is gearing up to begin production testing next month using a 550-hp rig hired from Mumbai-based Dewanchand Ramsaram. “Dewanchand is mobilising the rig from Assam,†confirms an industry source.
“It should reach the site by September 10.†Spud in June, Kathalachari-I was drilled to TD of approximately 3200 metres by a 1300-hp rig owned by Delhi-based drilling contractor Quippo Oil & Gas and showed traces of gas in the â€کMiddle Bhuvan’ geological formation.
“It took them (Jubilant) 74 days to drill the well,†reports a source. With help from Schlumberger, an in-house team from Jubilant is believed to estimate gas pressure of up to 9000-psi.
But so far no Drill Stem Test (DST) has been carried out. Excitement at Jubilant is tempered with a more sober assessment at GAIL, Jubilant’s joint venture partner, where technicians are less than enthralled by what they’ve seen.
“GAIL doesn’t believe the logs are that encouraging,†we hear. GAIL is also unhappy that Jubilant hired Dewanchand to carry out production testing, instead of using the same Quippo rig already on site.
“Why did Jubilant wait a month to carry out a production test†questions a source. “If you are sitting on oil or gas you start production testing immediately to get a feel for it.
Why wait A drilling rig can also be used for production testing.†Contacted by this report no one at Jubilant, GAIL or the DGH would comment.
