Triton Energy Ltd., Dallas, said Friday it would plug and abandon its Ceiba-6 delineation well off Equatorial Guinea after initial logs failed to find oil and gas. It also reported it would spud the first well of a planned 6-well exploration program in the next 10 days.
Ceiba-6, a significant step-out well outside and southeast of the Ceiba field in Block G, was drilled to a total depth of 10,388 ft about 2.5 miles south of the Ceiba-4 well. It was the first of several delineation wells to explore the southeastern flank of the Ceiba field and other potential reservoir systems, said James C. Musselman, Triton president and CEO.
The well found new sands, both younger and older in geologic age than the main Ceiba reservoirs. "Even though these sands were not oil-bearing, they offer new exploration targets elsewhere in Blocks F and G,'' said Musselman.
Global Marine Inc.'s R.F. Bauer drillship will spud the first of six planned exploration wells on Block G in about 10 days. The G-2 well will test a prospect at a greater depth than the Ceiba field�about 3 miles north and east of the field along the same play fairway. Once spudded, the G-2 well should reach total depth in about 40-45 days.
Depending on well results, the G-2 well will be followed by up to five additional exploration wells through the first half of 2001.
Production plans
Triton plans to begin full production on the Ceiba field by year-end 2001 at a gross rate of 120,000 b/d of oil. Preliminary production is scheduled before the end of the year from the first four wells to be completed in the field.
The Sedco 700 semisubmersible rig has completed the Ceiba-4 well and is now completing the Ceiba-1, -2, and -3 wells. The wells then will be hooked up to an early production system to flow at a planned gross rate of 52,000 b/d of oil, just 15 months after the field's discovery.
Ceiba crude will be produced into the Sendje Berge, a 275,000-dwt turbine tanker that will be moored in 300 ft of water. The floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel sailed Sept. 21 from Singapore's Jurong shipyard. It's scheduled to arrive in Equatorial Guinea by mid-to-late October.
Outfitted to process 60,000 b/d initially, the vessel's crude oil storage capacity is 2 million bbl. Subsea flowlines and controls are being installed and will be connected to the FPSO when it arrives in the field.
Triton has an 85% working interest in and is the operator of Block G and the adjacent Block F, which together encompass an area of 1.3 million acres. The blocks are located in the Rio Muni basin, 150 miles south of the country's capital.
Triton's partner in the blocks is Energy Africa Ltd. of South Africa, which has the remaining 15% working interest.