Predator Oil & Gas Holdings plc has identified two new unexpected potential gas reservoirs during the MOU-3 well’s appraisal on the Moulouya Fan primary reservoir target at Guercif, onshore Morocco.
SANDS
The operator said that operations had encountered “significant” shallow overpressured gas, identifying a path for the migration of deep gas into the next six targets due for evaluation.
The source of the inflow of gas was identified in a drilling break from 339 to 350 metres true vertical depth (TVD) KB.
The gas zone is “significantly” overpressured (122 psi overpressured) and likely supported by connectivity to gas volume to provide pressure support.
A second thin sand with a 2.42% formation gas show was encountered at 750 metres TVD measured depth (MD).
Predator set 95/8″ casing at 764 metres TVD MD to protect the two new gas horizons, including the overpressured interval.
The company is cautiously drilling ahead in 81/2″ hole to evaluate six targets, in addition to the newly identified two shallow zones.
BEGINNING
Executive chairman Paul Griffiths added that unforeseen overpressured gas at shallow depths was always a potential hazard in a new poorly explored sedimentary basin.
“We are very encouraged by what we have found to date, which we believe at this early stage is material in the context of our CNG [compressed natural gas] development plans but remain cautious as we drill ahead through a section that may or may not contain more overpressured gas.
“However this is already an exciting beginning for our shareholders to our planned drilling and testing programme.”