Area Drilling

Japan

Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. found oil and gas fields in the town of Yuri in Akita prefecture on northern Honshu's west coast.

Three fields produce a combined 1,449 b/d of oil and 1.37 MMcfd of gas, Kyodo News Service reported.

Kazakhstan

Chaparral Resources Inc., Denver, said its No. 21 well in Karakuduk oil field in western Kazakhstan flowed at the rate of 327 b/d of oil on a 12 hr test through a 1/4 in. choke from 41 ft of J1 Jurassic sand at 8,423-64 ft. Flowing tubing pressure was 397 psi and casing pressure was 176 psi. Natural gas was produced but not measured.

This is the uppermost of six Jurassic sand pay zones from which the well flowed at a combined rate of 3,131 b/d of oil and 3.087 MMcfd of gas in 1992.

The other five zones will be tested later after more oil storage and upgraded workover equipment have been provided. This is the first well to be reentered in the company's joint venture development project in the field.

Chaparral estimated it will take 90 new oil wells and 26 water injection wells to fully develop the field.

Pakistan

Hunt Exploration & Mining Inc., Dallas, plans to explore the 1.2 million acre Jacobabad Block 2768-4 in the Middle Indus basin.

It is obligated to spend as much as $3.725 million, acquiring 250 line km of seismic data by yearend 1996 and drilling two exploratory wells by end September 1997, said American Energy Group Ltd., Houston.

Tunisia

A group of independents plans to build an 8 in. pipeline to Zarzis from the El Biban 3 well in the Gulf of Gabes.

The re-entry flowed at the rate of 5,500 b/d of 39° gravity oil and 5.2 MMcfd of gas with 460 psi flowing wellhead pressure from Upper Cretaceous Zebbag. The well produced from a 1,076 m lateral at 3,650 m MD.

Production is to start in 1997. Gas is to be used for cogeneration near Zarzis. Interests in the well and 56,000 acre El Biban concession are Ecumed Petroleum Tunisia Ltd. 73.7% and Aminex Tunisia Ltd. 26.3%. Ecumed is owned 60% by Eagle Energy Corp. and 40% by Canadian Leader Energy Inc., Calgary.

Venezuela

The Benton-Vinccler joint venture between Benton Oil & Gas Co. and Lagoven SA plans to produce a horizontal well in Tucupita field on the South Monagas Unit at rates of 2,500-3,000 b/d.

The 59 TEX well produced at a rate of 23,482 b/d of oil without water on a 12 hr initial test, Petroleum Information reported. The well was drilled to determine the feasibility of using high volume lifting. More tests are needed to determine the sustainable production rate.

Texaco discovered Tucupita field in 1945. It produced 67 million bbl of oil and 135 million bbl of water and was shut-in in 1985 due to high water production, PI noted.

Gulf of Mexico

Aviva Petroleum Inc., is expanding production in giant Main Pass Block 41 field, where it is operator with 35% working interest.

A recent recompletion in the field flowed a combined 400 b/d of oil and 500 Mcfd of gas from two zones at 6,200 ft and 6,880 ft while still recovering completion fluids. The new JA-7 well flowed 1.1 MMcfd of gas from the No. 4 sand at 6,850 ft. Correction of possible near wellbore damage could increase the flow rate.

CXY Energy Offshore Inc.'s 3 Main Pass Block 262 exploratory well encountered 48 ft of net gas pay in a Pliocene sand that is a new reservoir on the block. TD is 3,990 ft.

The well is to be sidetracked with a horizontal hole, subsea completed, and tied back to the existing production facility. Interests are CXY, operator, Box Energy Corp., and Cairn Energy USA Inc. each 33%.

Ohio

Bass Energy Co., Fairlawn, Ohio, staked a Precambrian wildcat about 3 miles east of Cleveland.

The 1 Picker Unit, in Mayfield Heights quad of Cuyahoga County, is projected to 7,000 ft.

It is in Mayfield field, which has produced gas from Oriskany, Newburg, and Clinton, PI reported.

Oklahoma

GHK Co. LLC, Oklahoma City, staked a wildcat in the Ouachita Province.

The 1 Ratcliff, in 33-3n-20e, Latimer County, is projected to 12,500 ft. The site is 11/2 miles east of abandoned two well Potato Hills gas field.

PI lists objectives as Johns Valley, overthrusted Arkan- sas Novaculite and Big Fork chert, first repeated Big Fork, Jackfork series, repeated Johns Valley and Jackfork, Arkansas Novaculite, Big Fork, and the Crystal Mountain sandstone member of the Arbuckle Group.

Texas

Gulf Coast

Arrow Exploration Co., Austin, completed a dual lateral Austin chalk well in the Stone City field portion of the greater Giddings area.

The 1-RE Penicka, in Brazos County, flowed 640 b/d of oil with 203 Mcfd of gas on a 36/64 in. choke with 220 psi FTP from the chalk at about 7,400 ft.

This is a reentry of a former Cretaceous Georgetown oil well.