Italian energy giant Eni has hit gas shows while drilling the Cua Lo-1 exploration probe off Vietnam’s north-east coast and is now planning a sidetrack well to bypass an over-pressured zone. Australian joint venture partner Neon Energy said on Tuesday that the well, being drilled by the jack-up rig Ensco 107 in Block 105 of Vietnam’s Song Hong basin, encountered gas shows within each of the upper three objectives before experiencing a “kick” due to an over-pressured gas bearing formation at 2568 metres deep.
Eni has plugged the well back to a depth of 1800 metres and is now planning to drill a sidetrack to a revising point just above the over-pressured zone, Neon said.
Wireline log data, including reservoir fluid samples, will be collected across the upper reservoirs before casing is set and the well is drilled ahead to the deeper two targets.
Neon said a decision regarding production testing of the well will be made after reaching the proposed total depth of 2826 metres and once the evaluation of wireline data and retrieved fluid samples is complete.
The Cua Lo prospect is comprised of five clastic reservoir targets ranging in age from Lower Pliocene to Upper Miocene. The well is targeting a prospective resource of 13.9 trillion cubic feet of gas.
Eni operates the Block 105 production sharing contract with a 50% interest. Neon holds a 25% stake and KrisEnergy holds the remaining 25%.
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