By the OGJ Online Staff
HOUSTON, Mar. 5�Lundin Oil AB announced Monday an oil discovery on Block 5A in Sudan.
The Thar Jath discovery was drilled to 1,820 m total depth and encountered 63 m of net pay over two sand reservoirs, the Bentiu and the Aradeiba. The well flowed at 4,260 b/d from three drillstem tests in both zones.
The Thar Jath structure is on trend with prolific oil fields operated by Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Co., a consortium that includes a unit of Malaysian state company Petronas, Talisman Energy Inc., China National Corp. and Sudapet. Production for these fields exceeds 200,000 b/d.
Ian Lundin, CEO, said, "This is a significant and exciting event for Lundin Oil. We have confirmed that the trend of prolific oil fields, as seen in Blocks 1, 2, and 4 operated by the GNPOC consortium, extend into our block."
Appraisal drilling is slated after completion of the Jarayan exploration well, 12 km southeast of the Thar Jarth discovery. Upon completion of the Jarayan well, the rig will be moved back to Thar Jath to drill the Thar Jath appraisal well.
The Thar Jath exploration well was drilled during the second quarter 1999, but testing was postponed because of the rainy season and because a 75 km all-weather road had to be constructed between the well and the base camp at Rubkona.
Ludin Sudan Ltd., a Swedish oil company, is the operator with a 40.4% interest in Block 5A. Petronas Carigali Sdn. Bhd. has 28.5%; OMV (Sudan) Exploration GMBH has 26.1%, and Sudapet has 5% interest.
