Drillship Stena Forth to start drilling Orinduik block by month end

DPI Guyana, Monday, June 10, 2019

Drillship Stena Forth is set to start drilling in the Orinduik block before the month’s end. Stena Forth is en route to Guyana from West Africa, where it has been operating for Tullow Oil.

According to the online news agency OilNow, Tullow Oil is set to spin the bit on the first of two of its planned wildcats off Guyana on June 26. The drillship is expected to reach Eco’s Orinduik Block on or around June 24, 2019 and conduct the initial drilling of the Jethro Lobe prospect offshore Guyana on or around June 26, 2019 the news outlet explained.

A further announcement will be released confirming the spud date of the first well, the company said.

The Stena Forth was actively drilling for Tullow on an existing contract immediately prior to its transition to Guyana and is fully crewed with experienced personnel. This will allow a smooth transition and less rig-up and training time.

The Stena Forth is being mobilised for Eco and its partners, Tullow Guyana B.V. and Total EP Guyana B.V., for a committed two-well campaign. The first exploration well is to be drilled on the Jethro Lobe prospect, as announced on December 5, 2018. The second well is the Joe prospect, a few kilometres away. The two wells are not contingent and will be drilled immediately, one after the other.

Eco said following the company’s placing and subscription completed on April 10, 2019, it has a cash balance today of approximately $7 billion and is funded for its share of up to a further six potential new exploration or development wells in addition to the Jethro Lobe and Joe wells.

Colin Kinley, Chief Operating Officer is quoted as saying, “the mobilisation of the Stena Forth is the final stage of a long, conservative and quality-controlled process to plan and drill the initial two wells on Orinduik. The Block license was applied for in March 2014 and was awarded to Eco and Tullow in January 2016 with a first well commitment for 2021/2022.”

He pointed out that with 13 discoveries totaling over 5.5 barrels of oil equivalent on Exxon’s adjacent Stabroek Block in the past three years, and with Eco’s strong commitment to Guyana, “the Joint Venture partners have since expedited and significantly expanded their work programme far beyond and ahead of the committed requirements.”

“Our team, together with Tullow and Total, have comprehensively interpreted the nearly 3,000 km² of 3D seismic data we shot over and beyond Orinduik and have selected the first two targets that we feel will allow us to accelerate the Block’s development. With the Stena Forth now mobilizing westwards to Guyana waters, we are on course to drill a pair of potentially transformational wells for the Company, for the Block partners, and for Guyana,” he said.

Kinley said the partners understand this play well and are confident in their interpretation as supported by a relatively high chance of success, estimated at over 40 per cent for both the Jethro and Joe prospect. “Whatever the outcome of the two planned wells, we have enough capital for a multi well drilling campaign. We know that there are hydrocarbons on the block, and good quality sands like those on Stabroek, therefore the main risks are the quality of the seal and the presence of a trap,” he stated.

Image: OilNow