Castex completes Hummer production test

Castex Energy has completed a successful well production test at the Hummer development project in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, offshore Louisiana.

Petsec Energy, a partner in the Castex-operated project, reported on Tuesday the successful flow testing of the Main Pass 270 No. 3 BP 1, Hummer discovery well, that tested over a 48 hour flow-back period, beginning November 16, 2016.

Flow rates were measured at restricted rates on variable choke sizes over the last three hours of the 48 hour test period the well flowed at an average rate of 19.88 MMcfpd (million cubic feet of gas per day) and 396 bcpd (barrels of condensate per day) through a 16/64th inch choke with an average flowing WHP of 9753 psi (pounds per square inch) and no formation water. Production rates continued to rise over the duration of the test with a maximum gas rate of 20.5 MMcfpd recorded.

The MP 270 #3 BP 01 well was perforated from 14,100 feet to 14,186 feet measured depth (MD), 14,058 feet to 14,144 feet true vertical depth (TVD) in a Miocene age sand reservoir. Well logs indicate additional potential reservoirs in the well, but Petsec said that a decision was made not to run additional tests at this time. These untested sands will be targets of future drilling activity on the Hummer Project. Significant production occurs for similar reservoirs along trend. Peak production rates from those intervals can exceed 25 MMcfpd and 1000 bcpd. After testing, the well will be temporarily suspended pending the design, fabrication and installation of permanent production facilities and pipelines.

Petsec said it estimated first production from the Hummer project to start mid-year 2017. The Hummer discovery well is located in U.S. federal waters approximately 50 miles southeast of Venice, Louisiana. The water depth at the location is approximately 215 feet. The well was drilled, logged and temporarily suspended during 3Q/4Q 2015 and has awaited testing until a recently completed production jacket could be installed over the well.

The Ensco 87 rig was used to tie-back the well bore to the jacket and complete and test the well. The next stage of development will be to utilize the results of the test to design, fabricate and install a deck section with production facilities on the jacket, lay flow lines and connect to existing oil and gas transportation systems. It is anticipated that this process will take approximately 6 to 8 months.

Petsec’s Chairman and Managing Director, Terry Fern, commented: “We are very pleased with the drilling and test results of this initial well on the Hummer Project. This success is the culmination of an effort that began prior to 2010 when Petsec initially identified the prospect on 3D seismic data and continued through leasing and eventual drilling of the project several years later.

“Hummer is a significant oil and gas discovery covering a large prospective area and extending over portions of three offshore lease blocks that will require additional wells and facilities to define and develop. Although current information is limited from a single well and test, the indicated resource potential significantly exceeds the company’s pre-drill mapped target estimates. The company holds a 10.24% net revenue interest in the project.”