Falkland Islands Offshore Oil Exploration: Company Activity
May/June 1999 Newsletter
Operators, who are members of FOSA, continue to meet to conclude
outstanding issues related to the drilling of six exploration wells in the North
Falkland Basin last year. There are expected to be some changes to consortia
when the Agreement is concluded and annual work programmes completed. At
present around of £200,000 is received by Falkland Islands Government (FIG)
annually from acreage rentals.
FIG officials had meetings with Amerada Hess and Desire Petroleum in London
in early April. Amerada Hess presented their assessment of the offshore geology
on available information while Desire Petroleum outlined progress on the
interpretation of the 2D seismic data acquired in Tranches I and L.
Sodra Petroleum (formerly IPC), licence holders of Tranche F, moved their offices from Dubai to Geneva in April. Many of the staff who drilled well 14/24-1 have moved to Geneva and continue to work on the Falklands acreage.
A meeting with the Shell team and FIG is planned for late May, in Rijswijk, in Holland.
Exploration has cost oil companies in excess of US$100 million since the licence
awards two and a half years ago. Data from the last two wells drilled in the North
Falkland Basin are due imminently. British Geological Survey (BGS) will then
update their interpretation of the geology of the North Falkland Basin and
reassess the hydrocarbon potential in the area.
To date the presence of reservoirs and several mature source rock intervals, with
at least two oil and one gas source have been found. Well post-mortem studies
indicate the clear probability of sources elsewhere. For example, one well with
shows was drilled downdip of a larger set of closures, whilst another was drilled
off structure at the main reservoir horizon.
Environmental Forum: Close-out Report
Following a meeting of the Falkland Islands Exploration and Production
Environmental Forum (FIEPEF) in Stanley with oil company representatives, a
final environmental report will document the approach taken by FOSA to
conserve the environment during the first exploration drilling phase in Falklands
waters. A copy of the report will be placed in the Public Library. The Report will
be an excellent reference for future drilling activities.
...
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) Convention
As in previous years the FIG Department of Mineral Resources had a stand at
the AAPG convention. This year it was held in San Antonio in April. This was the
first opportunity for FIG through their BGS consultants, to give general
information to the oil industry about the outcome of the exploration wells.
A number of companies not involved in the consortia licensed to work in the
Falklands offshore expressed interest in the area and commented that the Islands
had promising results at an early stage in the exploration programme. Islanders
attending the conference had an opportunity to learn more about the oil industry,
new strategies for searching for hydrocarbons and compared the Falklands
situation with a host of other countries also embarking on mineral exploration.
People
Dr. Nigel Fannin of BGS, who has been very ill recently, returns to work at the Edinburgh office in May.
Dr. Phil Richards of BGS became a father again with the birth of Lewys on 26 April.
Robert Bottinga, who worked for IPC and was based in Stanley for some
months is now in Peru working for Repsol. (e-mail address available from DMR).
Tony Te-Au left LASMO in April to return to New Zealand.
Department of Mineral Resources 3/5/99
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