Chile
Evergreen Resources Inc., Denver, was starting seismic surveys on the 5,000 sq km Tamarugal Norte and Tamarugal Sur blocks in northern Chile.
Initial plans called for acquisition of 200 km of seismic to be acquired. A drilling decision would follow interpretation of the results. Interests are Evergreen 75% and Chile's ENAP 25%.
The blocks are in the Tamarugal basin not far from the Peruvian border and west of Bolivia (see map, OGJ, Apr. 7, 1997, p. 39).
ENAP signed an exploration agreement with Chilean power concern Gener SA covering the 915,000 acre Fell Block, formerly held in conjunction with Cordex Petroleums Inc., Denver, in the Austral basin. Gener has run geochemical and seismic surveys and has said it plans to drill an exploratory well in 2000, OPEC News Agency reported. The Fell Block lies northeast of the Straits of Magellan and continues north to the Argentine border.
ENAP also said it planned to acquire seismic data and drill 3-4 wells in the Magellan basin.
Greenland
The Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum in Nuuk is receiving licensing applications between Oct. 1, 1999, and June 1, 2000, covering large areas of the country.
The open door licensing procedure covers regions off West Greenland south of 63° N. Lat. and between 68-71° N. Lat. excluding the Kanumas preference area. The policy also covers the Disko and Nuussuaq onshore areas in West Greenland and Jameson Land in East Greenland.
The bureau has published a model joint operating agreement that covers land and offshore licenses.
Indonesia
Tradewinds Oil & Gas Inc., Houston, agreed to acquire assets from Tracer Petroleum Corp., Calgary, subject to approval by Pertamina, for as much as $700,000 cash plus $2 million in preferential cost recovery.
The assets include Tracer's North Tanjung block production sharing contract, the option on the Sungai Gelam technical assistance contract, a 4.25% carried interest in the Ogan Komering block, an Indonesian database, and a drilling rig.
Tracer could retain carried or back-in working interests in the operating contracts.
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea company, Oil Search Ltd, is embarking on a new exploration drive that it hopes will find and unlock a further 1 billion bbl of oil in PNG.
Detailed 3D seismic surveys have indicated major untested structures beneath Kutubu oil field as well as in nearby areas in the Highland leases. Exploratory drilling will begin during 2000.
Managing Director Peter Botten said that eight new areas, including a southwestern leg to Gobe field, possible extensions to the Moran structure, and deep prospects beneath Hedinia field will be looked at over the next 18 months.
Viet Nam
Petrovietnam let a contract for seismic surveys in the Mekong Delta.
The survey will include 2,500 km of 2D dynamite data onshore and 7,800 km of 2D air gun data offshore. The offshore segment will extend from shore to 25 m of water. Fairfield Industries Inc., Sugar Land, Tex., is to begin acquisition by yearend 1999.
California
Aspen Exploration Corp., Denver, said it will drill a 10,800 ft test this fall in Denverton Creek field, Solano County, in the Sacramento basin.
The Emigh 3-1 will target the Martinez, McCormick, H&T, Bunker, Starkey, and Peterson formations.
Aspen's four previous successful wells in the field had produced a combined 5 bcf of gas from November 1996 through summer 1999. The four wells are still making 4 MMcfd of gas, and all have pay zones behind pipe.
The fourth well, Aspen's Emigh 35-2, extended the field to the northeast in late 1998. It cut more than 225 ft of net pay in eight formations. TD is 11,100 ft.
