Ann: Block 9 Alameda 3 Appraisal Update (Alameda reservoir), page-424

Mx have supplied us with a granite lined drop dunny called Zapato and now a glorious vertical mud cake at Al3. Given a choice to try and fix one or tother, I’ll take the mud cake.
I would not return to Zapato without 3D, not withstanding I wouldn’t have drilled it without it in the first place as is known not even to use up exploration funds which doesn’t even begin to cut the criteria for a drill .It’s now basically too late for 3d as we don’t have the funds and it’s closing the stable door.
I am no oiler but I assume we have about a kilometre of mud above the target in Alameda having removed the drill string thus allowing a space for it’s absence.and the mud falling to fill that space. So I don’t see pouring acid onto the impervious mud doing anything as it can’t reach the limestone. So in my simple logic you need to suck out the mud with a sludge pump or insert very high pressure H2O deep into it to force it out. The latter has the potential to damage the formation or a combination of both sucking and pressuring to circulate the mud out. Once having removed say 80% of this massive weight then the formation pressure could do the rest. So in this aspect I accept JM’ logic to perforate the higher test intervals. Worth a try IMO. The question is can this be done through the BOP or do we need a smaller and cheaper work over rig. Whatever the solution I am sure AP will be looking very hard at all the chemical and physical fixes possible. The prize is worth billions and the egg on his face is priceless. How this situation was allowed to happen staggers me. It makes a comedy of his statements about how much they have learned from Al 1. Very little IM