Pantheon Resources increased its estimated recoverable resources in Alaska North Slope’s Ahpun area by 63% following successful drilling at the Dubhe-1 appraisal well, the company said Sept. 8.
U.K.-based Pantheon now puts the estimate at 598 MMbbl of marketable liquids—342 MMbbl of oil and 247 MMbbl of NGL—compared to previously certified estimates.
The Dubhe-1 horizontal lateral encountered 5,200 ft of logged pay, exceeding the predrill target of between 3,000 ft and 4,000 ft. It was drilled to a total measured depth of 15,800 ft, with the entire lateral section in the SMD-B target reservoir, Pantheon said in a news release.
“We are delighted to announce the Dubhe-1 horizontal lateral as a success, landing the well in the target reservoir and exceeding our expectations for the length,” said Erich Krumanocker, chief development officer for Pantheon. “We are looking forward to progressing with the completion and subsequent flow testing of this well.”
The company is among several North Slope operators exploring for oil and taking steps to lock in supply deals. The Ahpun area, which is underneath and adjacent to the Trans Alaska Pipeline System and the Dalton Highway, is among Pantheon’s focus areas. The company is also active in the Kodiak Field.
Analysis of the Dubhe-1 pilot hole confirmed earlier results. Additional shallow hydrocarbon-bearing zones were also encountered again with the sidetrack, the company said.
Next steps include analyzing data to optimize the hydraulic stimulation design and subsequent flowback, the company said.
Below is a compilation of some more global E&P news.
Exploration
Viridien, TGS Start Multiclient Project Offshore Brazil
Viridien and joint venture partner TGS started the 5,300-sq-km Megabar Extension Phase I survey in the Barreirinhas Basin offshore Brazil, according to a Sept. 4 news release.
The area has proven geological potential but lacks 3D data, Viridien said in the release.
As part of the project, which is supported by industry funding, TGS will deploy streamer vessel Ramform Tethys to acquire 3D data from early September through late November. The data will be imaged by Viridien, which will utilize proprietary time-lag full-waveform inversion and reverse time migration imaging technologies.
“This will help to reveal new play potential, improve prospect evaluation and de-risk exploration,” the release states. “Initial imaging products are expected by Q3 2026, and final data [is] expected to be available in Q1 2027.”
Afentra Signs Terms for Its First Operatorship Offshore Angola
(Reuters) Oil and gas company Afentra signed a framework agreement for its first operated license offshore Angola in a block with proven resources, the London-listed company said Sept. 4.
Block 3/24 contains five oil and gas discoveries in shallow water with several exploration prospects identified and is close to Afentra’s existing producing oil fields and undeveloped discoveries in Blocks 3/05 and 3/05A.
“We look forward to reviewing the most efficient development options for the numerous discoveries, utilizing the extensive Block 3/05 infrastructure,” CEO Paul McDade said in a statement.
Afentra told Reuters in July that Block 3/05 was producing around 21,400 bbl/d and had the potential to increase production to 30,000 bbl/d, and even 40,000 bbl/d as the company looks to ramp up water injection to boost oil extraction.
Signed with Angola’s National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANPG) on the sidelines of an energy conference in Luanda, the new heads of terms allow for an initial five-year period to review the development potential for existing discoveries and exploration prospectivity.
The government is expected to formally award the license for Block 3/24 in the coming months, with Afentra as operator holding a 40% interest, alongside Maurel & Prom Angola S.A.S with a similar share and Angola’s state-owned Sonangol E&P with the remaining 20%.
Norway Oil, Gas Exploration Round Attracts Bids from 20 Firms
(Reuters) Norway’s energy ministry said on Sept. 4 it received applications from 20 oil and gas companies seeking exploration acreage in the government’s annual mature-areas (APA) licensing round.
This year’s round will contain more acreage in the Arctic Barents Sea, part of Norway’s strategy to extend the life of its oil industry, the government has said.
The number of applicants was in line with last year’s APA round, when acreage was awarded to 20 companies.
Equinor, Aker BP, ConocoPhillips and TotalEnergies were among the companies applying.
“It is gratifying to see that there is still great interest and that companies have faith in the opportunities that lie in further exploration,” Energy Minister Terje Aasland said in a statement.
“This will enable Norway to continue to be a stable and predictable supplier of oil and gas to Europe,” he added.
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Field development
Expro Claims World Record for Heaviest Casing String Deployment
Energy services company Expro on Sept. 8 said it has set a world record by deploying the heaviest casing string to date at 2.849 million pounds.
The company said it utilized its Blackhawk Gen III wireless top drive cement head with Skyhook technology aboard the Transocean Deepwater Titan ultradeepwater drillship to the deploy the casing string in the Gulf of America for an unnamed supermajor.
“Unlike other systems that require derating under high-pressure conditions, the Gen III system maintained full performance and structural integrity throughout the operation,” Expro said. “The operator’s project stands among the world’s most technically demanding well construction campaigns.”
RELATED
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Production
Pemex Signs First Mixed Contracts with Private Firms to Boost Oil Output
(Reuters) Mexican state oil company Pemex signed its first mixed contracts with private sector partners in a bid to reverse declining hydrocarbon production, according to President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government report delivered to Congress.
The 11 deals, signed under a new contractual framework stemming from the latest energy sector reform, mark the initial phase of Pemex’s plan to close 21 such agreements this year, the president said in her first government report sent to Congress on Sept. 1.
The company expects the initiative to add up to 450,000 bbl/d of crude oil production by 2033.
“Pemex is currently advancing in the process of formalizing a second group of allocations under this same scheme, the closing of which is expected before the end of the year,” the document shows.
Pemex, which has nearly $100 billion in financial debt and owes an additional $22 billion to contractors and suppliers, expects to raise about $8 billion through the first 11 contracts with domestic and foreign partners, local media reported.
The deals are expected to add around 70,000 bbl/d of oil and 610 MMcf/d of natural gas.
A new 10-year strategic plan for Pemex was also presented recently, aiming to make the company financially viable, boost reserves and raise domestic oil production to 1.8 MMbbl/d, up from 1.6 MMbbl/d of crude oil and condensates.
Business
BP, EGAS Sign Preliminary Deal to Drill Five Mediterranean Gas Wells
(Reuters) BP signed a preliminary agreement with Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Co. (EGAS) to drill five new deepwater gas wells in the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt’s Petroleum Ministry said Sept. 8.
The memorandum of understanding with state-owned EGAS comes as Egypt seeks to boost E&P.
Egypt, once a regional exporter, has increasingly turned to imports to meet rising domestic gas demand as output declines from aging fields and investment lags in new ones.
Gas production in May was 3,545 million cu. m, down more than 40% from March 2021, according to the Joint Organizations Data Initiative, which provides data on the global energy market.
Drilling of the five wells, at depths of 300 m to 1,500 m, is expected to start next year, the ministry said. Any new production would feed existing production facilities in the West Nile Delta, BP said in a statement. It has operated in Egypt for over six decades.
Exxon Mobil Taps GHGSat for Methane Monitoring
Emissions monitoring tech company GHGSat on Sept. 4 said it formed a partnership to monitor and mitigate methane across ExxonMobil’s onshore operations in parts of North America and Asia.
The partnership includes the energy company’s onshore operations in the U.S., Canada, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, according to a news release. Exxon aims to reduce its operated methane emissions by 70% to 80% compared to 2016 levels by 2030.
“To execute our ambitious goals, Exxon is in constant pursuit of innovative technology and partnerships that can drive impact,” said Matt Kolesar, chief environmental scientist for ExxonMobil. “By leveraging GHGSat’s cutting-edge satellite constellation—and the comprehensive data and insights it delivers—we are able to monitor assets at scale via satellite for the first time, informing mitigation strategy and action.”
GHGSat said its satellites are capable of pinpointing methane leaks as small as 100 kg/hr.
“GHGSat is laser focused on designing its satellites to solve operational challenges for operators, providing insights—the exact source of an emission, delivered at a speed that is operationally useful—that enable action,” GHGSat CEO Stephane Germain said.
The company said it has launched 14 satellites since 2016.
Petrobras Awards TechnipFMC Two Flexible Pipe Contracts
TechnipFMC was selected by Petrobras to provide flexible pipes for projects in multiple basins, according to a news release.
One of the subsea contracts is to design, engineer and manufacture flexible gas injection risers to sustain reservoir pressure and boost production efficiency in presalt formations of the Santos Basin, TechnipFMC said in a news release.
The second award involves designing, engineering and manufacturing flexible risers and flowlines for deployment in the Campos Basin.
The Santos Basin related contract is valued at between $250 million and $500 million, while the Campos Basin contract is valued at between $75 million and $250 million, the release said.
Technology
Exxon Acquires Licensing Rights for Subsea Insulation Technology
Exxon Mobil has acquired exclusive rights to license Odysea’s Goldilocks (GDLX) for subsea insulation technology with Exxon’s Proxxima resin systems, according to a news release.
The two will be offered as an integrated solution for the subsea insulation market, Exxon said.
Combined, the Proxxima-GDLX provides “exceptionally low thermal conductivity for wet insulation, making it well positioned for flow assurance applications in the 90-180 C temperature range,” the oil major said. The technology is used to coat and insulate subsea line pipes, field joints and subsea equipment.
“The Proxxima-GDLX solution provides customers with an efficient, high-performance offering,” said Matt Loach, general manager for Exxon’s Proxxima business. “Our unified solution allows for quicker executionw and unmatched longevity that best serves the subsea insulation market.”
Regulations
EPA Clears SLB’s Methane LiDAR Camera for Enhanced Leak Detection
SLB on Sept. 3 said its Methane LiDAR camera was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an alternative test method for methane detection.
The approval means the technology may be used under the so-called Quad O family of regulations, which seek to curb fugitive methane emissions by oil and gas operators as a standalone methane detection solution, SLB said.
SLB describes the camera as “an autonomous measurement tool with component-level spatial resolution capabilities that clearly distinguish between fugitive leaks and permitted emissions, without requiring secondary measurements.”
So far, 100 Methane LiDAR cameras have been deployed by SLB’s customers across four continents, the company said.
Hart Energy Staff and Reuters contributed to this report.