UK-based Hurricane Energy announced that testing has confirmed oil in its Warwick West well, West of Shetland.
Warwick West ( 204/30b-4) was spudded using the Transocean Leader semi-submersible rig on September 24 and was drilled to a total depth of 1,879 meters TVDSS. It intersected a 931-meter horizontal section of fractured basement reservoir.
The well flowed for a total of 85 hours in a number of flowing periods at variable rates, using both an electric submersible pump (ESP) and under natural flow, while work continued to clean the well and evaluate reservoir performance. A stable rate using an ESP could not be reliably measured as the well was still in the process of cleaning up. After an extended pressure build-up period, a final flow period was conducted under controlled natural flow conditions which achieved a stable, sustainable rate of 1,300 bopd with evidence of the well having cleaned up further. During this flowing period, less than 0.5% water was produced.
Initial analysis of oil samples indicates a light, 43° API oil. Further technical analysis of PVT fluid samples will now be carried out. This will include comparing the geochemical signature of oil from Warwick West with oils procured from Warwick Deep and Lincoln Crestal.
The third and final well of the 2019 program on the Greater Warwick Area (GWA), Warwick West will now be plugged and abandoned.
Dr. Robert Trice, Chief Executive of Hurricane, said, "We are pleased to have made another discovery with the Warwick West well. The flow test results confirm the presence of light, mobile oil.
"The impact that this well will have on how the Company views the GWA accumulation and its associated volumetrics will require further technical analysis. The GWA joint venture is now assessing the optimal appraisal strategy for the GWA, and Hurricane will provide an update in due course."
Hurricane and its joint venture partner on the GWA, Spirit Energy, are evaluating the results of the three wells drilled and tested in 2019. Further technical analysis will be required to determine the impact on the potential for the GWA to be a single accumulation, and on volumetrics.