Apache in fresh oil discovery offshore Suriname

Oil and gas company Apache has made what it says is a major oil discovery at the Kwaskwasi-1 well drilled offshore Suriname in Block 58.

Apache is the operator of the block holding a 50 per cent working interest and Total is holding a 50 per cent working interest.

The well was drilled using the Noble Sam Croft drillship.

Apache said on Wednesday that the Kwaskwasi-1 was drilled to a depth of approximately 6,645 meters (21,800 feet) and successfully tested for the presence of hydrocarbons in multiple stacked targets in the upper Cretaceous-aged Campanian and Santonian intervals.

Preliminary fluid samples and test results indicate at least 278 meters (912 feet) of net oil and volatile oil/gas-condensate pay in two intervals.

The shallower Campanian interval contains 63 meters (207 feet) of net oil pay and 86 meters (282 feet) of net volatile oil/gas-condensate pay. Based on samples taken, the API oil gravities are between 34 and 43 degrees.

The deeper Santonian interval contains 129 meters (423 feet) of net hydrocarbon reservoir. The team is still collecting data on API oil gravities in the Santonian.

“We are thrilled with the results from the Kwaskwasi-1 exploration well. This is the best well we’ve drilled in the basin to date, with the highest net pay in the best quality reservoirs”, said John J. Christmann, Apache CEO and President.

“While we have a lot more work to do, a discovery of this quality and magnitude merits a pace of evaluation that enables the option of accelerated first production”.

Block 58 comprises 1.4 million acres and offers significant potential beyond the discoveries at Kwaskwasi, Sapakara West and Maka Central.

Apache has identified at least seven distinct play types and more than 50 prospects within the thermally mature play fairway.

Upon completion of operations at Kwaskwasi-1, the Sam Croft will move to the fourth prospect in Block 58, Keskesi, which is located approximately 14 kilometres (9 miles) southeast of Sapakara West-1.

The Keskesi exploration well will test oil-prone upper Cretaceous targets in the Campanian and Santonian.

This is Apache’s third oil discovery in Block 58 located offshore Suriname.

The first one was made at the Maka Central-1 well in January 2020 and the second one at the Sapakara West-1 well in early April.

In related news, Tullow Oil also plans to drill an exploration well offshore Suriname on its operated Block 47.

Tullow’s well was initially planned to be drilled in 2020, but it was postponed for the first quarter of 2021.