Salamander Prepares to Drill Well in Laos, Suspends Thai Well
Feb. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Salamander Energy Plc, a U.K. explorer, is preparing to drill a well in Laos as it suspended a well onshore Thailand.
The Bang Nouan-1 well on the Savannakhet PSC block in Laos is expected to be drilled “in the coming days” the London- based explorer said in a statement today.
The Si That-3 well in block L13/48 in Thailand was suspended after testing failed to detect “free gas flow,” and APICO, the operator, will review the remaining prospectivity of the license. A so-called hydraulic workover unit was secured for the Phu Kheng-1 zone on block L27/43 and work is expected to restart in early March, Salamander said.
Northern Thailand may need an additional 1,500 megawatts of power capacity by 2012, providing a ready market for regional natural gas discoveries, Salamander said in December.
Salamander is the operator and has a 30 percent interest in Savannakhet. A 30 percent stake is also held by Origin Energy Ltd., to whom the U.K. explorer farmed out interests in five blocks in December. Salamander has 27.2 and 16.3 percent interests in blocks L27/43 and L13/48 in Thailand, respectively, both of which are operated by APICO.
Salamander Energy plc, the Asia focussed independent oil and gas exploration and production company, provides an operational update on its activities in the Khorat Basin, onshore north east Thailand and Lao PDR.
Phu Kheng-1 (L27/43 onshore Thailand, 27.2%) Following an earlier frac-test on a zone between 2,048 and 2,058 metres true vertical depth sub-sea (mTVDSS), the L27/43 partners will conduct a second frac-testing programme. This programme will target two shallow intervals in the Phu Kradung sandstones. Both of these zones exhibited good gas shows during drilling and subsequent log analysis suggest better porosity and permeability characteristics than seen in the deeper zone.
A hydraulic workover unit has been secured and operations are expected to recommence in early March.
Si That-3 (L13/48 onshore Thailand, 16.3%) APICO, the L13/48 operator, has suspended the Si That-3 well following the completion of a Production Logging Tool (PLT) survey. Despite gas flow to surface being measured during testing, no free gas flow was detected by the PLT tool from the reservoir above the water zone. The gas seen at surface during testing is believed to be coming out of solution, and would be dissolved under reservoir conditions.
Following the results of the PLT survey, the operator will now conduct a review of the remaining prospectivity of the L13/48 licence.
Bang Nouan-1 (Savannakhet PSC Lao PDR, 30% and Operator) The preparations of the Bang Nouan-1 well site have now been completed and the majority of trucks transporting the Century 26 rig have arrived on site. The rig is now being constructed and the well is expected to spud in the coming days.
