Reliance spuds well at D3
All eyes are on Transocean drillship Deepwater Expedition as she begins drilling a third exploration well at deepwater block KG-DWN-2003/1 (D3), the most fiercely contested block of NELP-V, which was eventually won by Reliance (90%) and Hardy Oil (10%).
This week Hardy announced Expedition had spud well KGV-D3-R1 on November 2 in water depths of 1900 metres and will drill to TD of 4700 metres exploring Miocene sands. Two earlier wells on this block struck gas and are under appraisal.
In February last year Reliance said testing of the first discovery well drilled by Transocean floater C. Kirk Rhein flowed gas at 38.1m cf/d through a 120/64-inch choke over seven days.
During NELP-V, this block attracted eight bids, the most for any of the 22 on offer, and the only one that aroused interest from BP, Petrobras and British Gas. Reliance won the block after bidding an aggressive 14-well work programme, including six in Phase-I over four years.