AWE to sidetrack Pateke well

Published Mar 18, 2014 2:13 pm ET

Australia-based AWE Limited will now attempt to drill a sidetrack well in New Zealand after drilling issues encountered last week on the Pateke-4H were unable to be resolved. The lower part of the hole has been abandoned.

After drilling to a total depth of 4110m in the Kapuni F10 sandstone, removal of the 12.25in. drilling assembly experienced mechanical drill string difficulties

removal of the 12.25 inch drilling assembly has experienced mechanical drill string difficulties which are currently being addressed. - See more at: http://www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/132027/AWE_Experiences_Mechanical_Drill_String_Difficulties_at_NZs_Pateke4H_Well#sthash.G6XWFqcr.dpuf

AWE then proposed sidetracking the well with the 12.25in. drilling assembly from a measured depth of 3375m, into the Kapuni F10 reservoir at a horizontal angle of about 90 degrees.

The Kapuni F10 sandstone objective has already been intersected on prognosis with oil shows and real time logging measurements indicating the likely presence of an oil bearing reservoir, which the firm notes as very encouraging. However, the commercial significance of the oil shows will not be clear until the horizontal drilling has been completed.

The Pateke-4H development well sits in PMP 38158 in the Taranaki basin offshore New Zealand.PMP 38158 also contains the Tui and Amokura fields, producing since 2007.

AWE is the operator of the permit with a 57.5% stake, with New Zealand Oil & Gas and and Pan Pacific Petroleum holding 27.5% and 15% respectively.

The well is targeting a mapped northern extension of the producing Pateke field. AWE said the well is being drilled in water depth of 124m, with a planned total depth of 5361. If successful, it will tied back to the Tui FPSO for production in 2015.