Highlights
- Commencement of Alameda-3 appraisal well projected for week of 11 December.
- Primary objectives are the appraisal of the deep Alameda and Marti reservoirs
discovered by Alameda-1 – independently assessed at 179 million barrels of
Prospective Resource (Unrisked Gross Best Estimate)
1*
.
- Secondary objective is to test Amistad Unit-3.
- Analysis of results of Alameda-2 appraisal well indicating potential significant
increase in recoverable volumes.
Melbana Energy’s Executive Chairman, Andrew Purcell, commented: “We are in the
closing stages of preparations for the imminent spud of the Alameda-3 appraisal well. We are
going back down to test the deeper Alameda and Marti reservoirs that gave such tantalising
results in Alameda-1. We are hoping to confirm higher quality crude that can produce at good
rates, thereby giving us two additional productive reservoirs to what has already been
established by Alameda-2 in Unit 1B in the Amistad reservoir.
Given the time of year for spud, we will make sure that our field personnel have an Oz-style
(albeit, dry) lunch to celebrate the festive season.
Finally, our technical team have been pulling out the stops to complete their review of the test
results of Alameda-2. We are seeing a marked increase in key reservoir parameters which we
expect will support an upgrade to the resource assessment of these intervals and expect to
deliver these data and the analysis conducted thereon to the independent certifier shortly for
their assessment.”
* Prospective Resources Cautionary Statement - The estimated quantities of petroleum that
may potentially be recovered by the application of a future development project(s) related to
undiscovered accumulations. These estimates have both an associated risk of discovery and
a risk of development. Future exploration appraisal and evaluation is required to determine
the existence of a significant quantity of potentially moveable hydrocarbons.
Melbana Energy Limited (Melbana or Company), a 30% interest holder in and
Operator of Block 9 PSC onshore Cuba, is pleased to provide this operational update.
Alameda-3 close to execution state
Preparations for the commencement of drilling of the Alameda-3 Appraisal Well (the primary
objectives of which are the appraisal of the two lower geologically independent oil-bearing reservoirs intercepted by Alameda-1 - designated Alameda and Marti, respectively) are
nearing completion, with site preparation complete and rig and ancillary equipment
establishment underway (see Figures 1, 2 and 3).
Planned as a twin of the original Alameda-1 well, Alameda -3 will be drilled parallel to Alameda1 from the same drilling pad with a modest offset to the surface location. The well is planned
to reach total depth of 3835mMD, ~40mTVD above high pressure zone seen in Alameda-1
(see Figure 4).
The Alameda-3 well is planned to take 95 days to reach total depth (see updated time estimate
in Figure 5), following which flow testing will commence of the Marti then Alameda reservoirs.
The testing plan is to run an open hole drill stem test (DST) in the Amistad Unit-3 reservoir
whilst drilling through the relevant part of the Upper Sheet (about thirty five days following the
commencement of drilling), then a slotted liner DST in the deepest Marti reservoir before finally
perforating up to three zones in the Alameda Reservoir zones for either separate or comingled
flow tests, depending on well results. Whichever DST zone performs best will be completed
for production (see Figure 6).
The Alameda-3 well is aiming to prove up the results of the Alameda-1 well which, although
having considerable oil shows sometimes accompanied by significant formation pressure in
both the Alameda and Marti intervals, was unable to conduct flow tests or collect oil samples
for analysis. The Alameda-3 well has been designed to accommodate the subsurface
conditions encountered by Alameda-1 and is therefore hoped to lead to an increase in the
recoverable resource estimate as well as confirm the presence of a lighter, more valuable oil
(see Figure 7).
Updated Upper Sheet resource estimates.
Work is concluding on updating the resource estimates for the Upper Sheet Amistad Units 1A,
1B and 3. Prior to incorporating the results from Alameda-2 the best estimate Prospective
Resource for the Upper Sheet totalled 88 million barrels*.
The Company’s technical team is currently incorporating the increase in net pay from 100m to
615m (after incorporating the natural fractures) with the much higher quality oil recovered (19°
API, 30 cP viscosity and negligible sulphur content) leading to potentially higher recovery
factors into an updated resource assessment for these units.
Given the highly encouraging DST results in the Unit 1A, 1B and Unit 3, it is also envisaged
that the central field area of highest confidence might be assigned Contingent Resource
category once the independent resources and reserves certifier has done their work.
