The Tai-3 well has encountered a weathered crystalline Basement with “elevated helium shows up to six times above background levels” at Rukwa in southwest Tanzania.
RESERVOIR TARGETS
Helium One Global Ltd drilled over the weekend after repairing and reinstalling the component to the iron rough neck, reaching total depth (TD) of 1,448m measured depth.
The company identified the helium shows in the Lower Karoo Group and Basement targets.
“This fractured Basement was anticipated, and was one of the company’s primary reservoir targets, therefore encountering elevated helium shows in this zone is very encouraging,” said the company in a statement.
“Upon drilling into crystalline Basement, the fracture zone led to partial losses of drilling mud.
“In order to stop these losses, which are not uncommon in fracture zones, lost circulation material was successfully added to the drilling mud.
“The decision was then made to call well TD at this stage, whilst the wellbore remains in good condition, and to run wireline logs and take downhole gas samples.”
WIRELINE LOGS
Maintenance and safety checks on rig equipment will be completed to enable the drill string to be pulled out of hole safely and efficiently, before wireline operations begin.
Helium One will then rig up for and complete all wireline operations along with preliminary interpretations before determining the timetable of a second well at Itumbula.
“We are delighted with the initial results at Tai-3 and it was extremely encouraging to see the helium shows increase with depth, as we had anticipated,” added chief executive officer Lorna Blaisse.
“Given the mud losses encountered once we had reached the fractured Basement, we’ve decided to TD now so we can minimise any risk to wellbore stability and ensure that we can obtain successful logs and downhole gas samples.”