Rig in Place - Santos to Spud Pavo-1 Well Targeting 82 Million Barrels

Australian oil and gas company Santos is set to start drilling the Pavo-1 well, offshore W. Australia, as the Noble Tom Prosser jack-up drilling rig has reached the well site and completed pre-drill preparations.

The Pavo-1, operated by Santos (70%) with Carnarvon as partner (30%) is targeting Caley reservoir sands in a similar canyon style trap to the Dorado field. The Dorado is one of the largest offshore oil discoveries on Australia's North Western Shelf, and Santos is working to develop it using an FPSO and a wellhead platform.

Back to the Pavo-1 drilling, Carnarvon said Wednesday:"The Noble Tom Prosser jack-up drilling rig has completed the move to the Pavo-1 well location and has concluded the jack-down and other pre-drill operations. As at 06:00 this morning the rig was preparing to commence drilling the surface hole."

The rig will drill the surface hole down to around 175 meters Measured Depth (“MD”) and install the Conductor.  After the Conductor has been set and cemented in place, the rig will drill the 17 ½” hole to the planned section depth of approximately 1,000 meters MD followed by setting the 13 3/8” casing. The well will then be deepened in the 12 ¼” hole to around 3,000 meters MD before setting the 9 5/8” liner. This will provide a stable foundation for the well to drill into the deeper reservoir section. No hydrocarbons are anticipated to be encountered in these hole sections.

The objective: 82 million barrels

The Pavo-1 well is targeting a gross mean recoverable volume of 82 million barrels of liquids and 108 Bcf of gas in the Caley Formation sands which flow tested at equipment limits of around 11,000 barrels of oil per day in the Dorado-3 well. 

"This is an attractive prospect, having an estimated one-in-three (34%) geological probability of success," Carnarvon said.

Carnarvon holds a 30% interest in this resource, meaning the net liquids resource could be similar in volume to Carnarvon’s interest in the Dorado field in a success case.

After drilling the primary Caley target, the joint venture has the option to drill into deeper stratigraphy including the Lower Archer Formation Dumont Member sands, and the Permian carbonates. 

"Information from these intervals will be highly valuable in assessing the substantial exploration potential north and east of the Pavo prospect.
Following completion of the Pavo-1 well, the rig will drill the Apus-1 well which is located around 20km south-west of the Pavo-1 well location," Carnarvon said.

Carnarvon also said that, in a success case at Pavo, a tie back to the Dorado hub would be a strong option to develop the resources.

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