Ireland: Providence to Start Barryroe Appraisal Drilling Soon

Providence Resources P.l.c., („Providence‟) the London (AIM) and Dublin (ESM) listed oil and gas exploration and production company, today provided an update on its upcoming appraisal drilling programme in the North Celtic Sea  Basin, offshore southern Ireland. 

*The Barryroe partners have been awarded Standard Exploration Licence 1/11 (“Licence”) over the Barryroe oil discovery by the Irish Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte TD, for a period of up to six  years, split into two three year phases. This Licence is a successor authorisation to Licensing Option 08/1. The areal extent of the Licence has been increased by approximately 9% (c. 25 sq km) to cover additional acreage with identified  resource potential. The partners have committed to the drilling of at least one well during the first phase, which will be fulfilled by the upcoming 48/24-J well. Providence holds a 50% interest in the Licence and operates on behalf of its  partners San Leon Energy Plc (30%) and Lansdowne Oil & Gas Plc (20%).

*The 48/24-J well location and programme have been finalised using a fast-track 3D seismic volume. The planned well will offset and primarily appraise the previous Marathon Oil operated 48/24-3 (1990) well, which tested c. 45o API light  sweet oil at c. 1,600 BOPD from Base Cretaceous sands. Using the latest technology, the 48/24-J well is planned to acquire a modern set of wire-line logs, together with an orientated conventional core through the primary objective. These new  data will be important in understanding the reservoir architecture, inverting the 3D seismic volume and defining the resource base for this reservoir interval. In addition, it is planned to test the well using vacuum insulated tubing (VIT), which has proven to be key when dealing with high pour point crudes such as those seen in the original well. Data in overlying secondary objectives will also be acquired as these have tested at rates of c. 1,500 BOPD from two previous wells on the  Barryroe structure.

The objective will be to demonstrate commercial flow rates of 1,800 BOPD or better from this vertical well.

* Providence now expects to commence drilling operations on the 48/24-J Barryroe appraisal well in mid-November 2011. Providence and its partners are awaiting the delivery of the GSF Arctic III rig, which is currently finishing a work   programme for another operator in the North Sea. Pre-spud activities for the Barryroe well have already commenced, with tangible item mobilisation and other logistics activities progressing to plan.

Commenting on the news, Tony O’Reilly, Providence’s CEO, said:

“This appraisal well is the first in Providence‟s multi-well, multi-year drilling programme. In addition to being a very important confirmation well for the future development of the Barryroe oilfield, this well also heralds the renaissance of major drilling activities offshore Ireland. As the first well in more than twenty years to be drilled on this accumulation, we are fortunate to be able to avail of today‟s technology and market conditions to advance this project and in doing so, endeavour to deliver the first commercial oil development offshore Ireland. We look forward to updating shareholders on the progress of this programme over the coming months.”

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Source: Providence Resources, October 19, 2011;