Petrobras Finds Oil Column in Santos Basin

Brazil’s state-run oil company Petrobras announces it has completed drilling the fifth exploratory well in the Santos Basin pre-salt Iara area, block BM-S-11. Well 3-RJS-715D (3-BRSA-1181D-RJS), informally known as Iara Alto Ângulo (‘Iara steep angle’), is located 225 km off the Rio de Janeiro coast, at a water depth of 2,128 meters.

This well was drilled in the central area of the concession’s Discovery Evaluation Plan, some 4 km to the north of discovery well 1-RJS-656 (1-BRSA-618), informally known as Iara.

The well was designed and executed with a sub-horizontal geometry and reached the total depth of 6,672m, after drilling approximately 900 meters of carbonate rock below the salt layer. A 310 meter hydrocarbon column was identified.

The reservoirs feature characteristics that are similar to those found in discovery well (1-RJS-656, Iara), which was drilled vertically, and where good quality oil was identified (28º API).

Given the geometry used in the well, a formation test will be conducted at the location to evaluate the productivity of the reservoirs.

The consortium will proceed with the activities outlined in the Discovery Evaluation Plan approved by Brazil’s National Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANP).

Petrobras is the operator of the consortium (65%) in partnership with BG E&P Brasil (25%) and Petrogal Brasil (10%).

[mappress]
Press Release, November 13, 2013