West Newton B-1Z oil drill surpasses expectations

The West Newton joint venture reported drill results exceeding expectations, suggesting the site could be the largest UK onshore hydrocarbon discovery since the 1970s. 

JOINT VENTURE

Rathlin Energy UK (Ltd) has a 66.67% interest in PEDL183, and Reabold Resources plc investment company has a 59% share in Rathlin and a 16.665% direct licence share. Union Jack Oil (UJO) holds a 16.665% interest.

The licence contains the West Newton A-1 discovery well and West Newton A-2 appraisal well.

HYDROCARBON COLUMN

The JV said that West Newton B-1Z (WNB-1Z) sidetrack well had encountered a gross 62 metre thick hydrocarbon bearing reservoir interval in the primary Kirkham Abbey target formation.

The overall estimated hydrocarbon column was at least 118m, “significantly exceeding previous observations,” while oil-water contact has yet to be encountered.

Reabold said today that enhanced porosities of more than 14% had been observed on wireline logs, which compared favourably with the previous WNA-2 well.

WNB-1Z reached a depth of 2,114m, and 18m of core has been extracted from the primary target, the Kirkham Abbey Formation. All planned logging operations have been completed.

POTENTIAL

WNB-1Z is some 2.5 km from the WNA-1 and WNA-2 discoveries, confirming areal “extensive accumulation” with good reservoir continuity, said UJO.

Production casing is being run in preparation for well testing.

The company added that in conjunction with the WNB-1 well result, there was scope for the overall hydrocarbon column to exceed considerably the current identified interval.

In September, Rathlin began the sidetrack drilling operation from the WNB-1 well which resulted in mixed results.

Although the secondary Cadeby objective was unsuccessful, data will be used to inform its potential prospectivity elsewhere in the block.

Rathlin said that the drilling rig and equipment would be demobilised before Christmas, and all information gathered would be analysed ahead of a testing programme.

Planning permission is in place for the testing of the well and the drilling and testing of one more well from the West Newton B site.

MEANINGFUL

“The initial results of the WNB-1Z appraisal well exceeded our expectations,” said UJO executive chairman David Bramhill.

“The preliminary results from this well vindicate Union Jack’s faith and financial commitment over the past two years to what Union Jack’s management has always believed to be an exceptional UK onshore hydrocarbon enterprise.”

Reabold’s co-chief executive Sachin Oza added that West Newton continued to surpass expectations and would be the largest onshore UK discovery since 1973.

“With more analysis to be done, we believe that these indications augur extremely well for the future of the West Newton project, which has the potential to be a meaningful and crucially local source of hydrocarbons for the Humber region.”