New Petrobras Deepwater Well Confirms Light Oil Potential in Tupi
24 June 2010
Petrobras’s drilling of a seventh well in the Tupi area (earlier post) confirmed the light oil potential in the pre-salt reservoirs, located in ultra-deep Santos Basin waters. The new well, called 3-BRSA-821-RJS (3-RJS-674) and informally known as Tupi Alto, is located in the Tupi Evaluation Plan area, at a depth of 2,111 meters (6,926 feet) below the water line, nearly 275 km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, and 12 km northeast of discovery well 1-RJS-628 (1-BRSA-369).
|
|
| Location of Tupi Alto. Click to enlarge. |
The well was drilled in a higher structural position than the other wells in Tupi, and proved the discovery of light oil via a cable test. The sample obtained in the test presented lighter oil (about 30 degrees API) than the average of the oils found in the other Tupi wells (about 28 degrees API).
Light crude oil—i.e., with a high proportion of light hydrocarbon fractions—is valued more highly than heavier crudes because it can yield a higher percentage of gasoline and diesel fuel when refined.
The information obtained from this well and from the other ones that have already been drilled in the area reinforces the estimations of the potential of 5 to 8 billion recoverable barrels of light oil and natural gas in the pre-salt reservoirs of the Tupi area.
The Consortium, formed by Petrobras (65% - Operator), BG Group (25%), and Galp Energia (10%), to explore block BM-S-11 will carry on with the activities and investments called for in the Evaluation Plan which was approved by the ANP and foresees the drilling of other wells until the declaration of commerciality, which is expected to be made in December 2010.
I hope they bring this well on line soon.
BP has new streamlined, techniques that can bring such wells in quickly - but they are not very good at sharing information.
Oh well, maybe that's all for the best.
Posted by: ToppaTom | 24 June 2010 at 06:28 AM
Toppa - "streamlined". Yeah, I guess that's a polite way to put it. Ha!
Posted by: sheckyvegas | 24 June 2010 at 10:36 AM