APA terminates Suriname well early due to high pressure

APA Corp. terminated Keskesi East-1 drilling operations offshore Suriname before reaching Neocomian targets due to higher than expected pressure and completed transfer of Block 58 operatorship to Total SA following release of the Noble Sam Croft drillship.  

The well had discovered oil, volatile oil, and condensate in the Upper Cretaceous-aged Campanian and Santonian intervals and, subsequently, continued drilling toward deeper Neocomian-aged targets (OGJ Online, Jan. 14, 2021). The well encountered hydrocarbons in the Lower Cretaceous interval and a carbonate depositional system above the top Neocomian target, both of which help to validate the geologic models. While encouraging, this data does not reveal specific information about the Neocomian targets themselves.

As drilling progressed, the well encountered substantial pressure increases that APA determined could ultimately exceed capabilities of the wellbore design and pressure control equipment. Consequently, partners decided to conclude drilling operations.

Information gathered from the well will be used to design a wellbore and drilling program that will ensure a safe test of the deep Neocomian targets in future exploration and/or appraisal operations, the company said. 

APA transferred operatorship of Block 58 to Total on Jan. 1, 2021, but continued to operate the Keskesi exploration well until release of the drillship. Total and APA each have 50% interest in the block (OGJ Online, Dec. 23, 2019).