Circle announces ‘significant’ gas discovery in Morocco

Limerick-based Circle Oil, which operates in North Africa and the Middle East, has announced a significant gas discovery following the preliminary results of drilling of the KSR-12 well in the Sebou Permit, onshore Morocco.

The oil and gas exploration firm said the well, which is located within the central area of the Sebour permit, abut 1.2km to the south-west of the KSR gas gathering station, was drilled to a total depth of 1,980 metres. Gas shows, which were confirmed by wireline logging, were encountered at two different levels within the objective Hoot sands, the group said.

The net gas pay encountered in the well from wireline log analysis is 19.5 metres in the main target Intra Hoot sands and 1 metre in the Upper Hoot. This is greater than pre-drill sand thickness expectation.

Pressure testing showed that the Upper and Intra Hoot sands are not connected to the Hoot sands in the other nearby KSR wells. The seven inch liner was run and cemented and the first test over the primary target Main Hoot sands flowed at a sustained rate of 8.09 millions of standard cubic feet of gas per day (MMscf/d) on a 20/64” choke over 8 hours with no decrease in well head pressure. The second test over the Upper Hoot sands produced at a stabilised rate of 2.32MMscf/d on a 9/64”choke over 10 hours. The well will be completed for future production in the Main Hoot sands and the Upper Hoot will be completed for production once the Main Hoot gas sands have been depleted, Circle said.

Thickest gas sand interval

"We are delighted with the results of the KSR-12 well, which has found the thickest gas sand interval to date of our Sebou wells. We believe that this well will add significant volumes to our reserves for potential gas production and at rates not subject to oil price fluctuation. This is the third well of a six well programme to be drilled with our partner ONHYM in the Sebou permit and is coupled with another six well programme in the Lalla Mimouna permit," said outgoing chief executive Prof Chris Green.

The group said a new rig has been transported to Morocco but due to recent heavy rains affecting access roads into the drill site area in Lalla Mimouna, where drilling platforms have been prepared, it cannot currently be delivered there. In order to avoid delay, the drilling sequence is being modified and the rig will now be transported to the KAB-1 bis location in the Sebou permit, where access is presently possible.

KAB-1 bis is a re-drill of the KAB-1 well, drilled in 2011 located downthrown to the NW-SE trending N’zala Fault in the north-western area of the Sebou 3D survey. The original KAB-1 well encountered swelling clays that compromised the integrity of the borehole and the well had to be abandoned prior to wireline logging and testing. However, the well encountered good gas shows at the target level, a Miocene top Guebbas sand in a structurally downthrown location to the Kabarta Nose, north-east of the KSR-3, -6, -7 and -9 wells. KAB-1 bis has the same target with an adapted mud system to minimise drilling problems in a slightly more updip location. The primary target Guebbas sands are prognosed at a depth of 1,272 metres and the total depth of the well at 1,360 metres .

Drilling modifications

Circle said that while further modifications to the drilling sequence may be required due to weather and ground conditions, the rig is scheduled to move to drill the company’s first wells on the Lalla Mimouna permit. The first well of this campaign, LAM-1, is located in the central part of Lalla Mimouna Nord on the East-West trending Anasba Ridge, within the existing 3D seismic area.

The target of the LAM-1 well is for Miocene gas-bearing sands, similar to the Sebou discoveries made previously by Circle. The primary target sands are prognosed at a depth of 1,130 metres maximum depth and the total depth of the well at 1,431 metres . Further wells in the Lalla Mimouna and Sebou permits will follow to complete the current programme.