Exxon finds another dry well in Canje block

A JHI diagram of the offshore area
A JHI diagram of the offshore area

Westmount Energy yesterday said it has been informed by JHI Associates Inc that the Jabillo-1 well on the Canje block offshore Guyana reached its target depth without encountering commercial hydrocarbons.

Previously published information, as cited by Westmount, had indicated that Jabillo-1 was a circa 1,000 MMbbl oil prospect targeting a Late Cretaceous, Liza-age equivalent, basin floor fan.

According to West-mount, Project operator ExxonMobil will now switch attention to the Sapote-1 well, more than 100 kilometres away, to test the largest prospect to date on the Canje block.

Sapote-1 is closer to Exxon’s Upper Cretaceous discoveries in the Stabroek block. Up to June this year, ExxonMobil had made 20 discoveries in the Stabroek Block.  Sapote-1  is described as an independent multi-layer prospect, which will evaluate several Upper Cretaceous targets.

Westmount said that it is anticipated that Sapote-1 will be spudded in mid-August using the Stena DrillMAX drillship, with results due to follow in October.

Westmount retains an indirect interest in the Canje block via its 7.2% shareholding in JHI Associates, which holds a 17.5% stake in the block – alongside Exxon with 35%, Total with 35% and Mid-Atlantic Oil & Gas Inc with 12.5%.

The Jabillo-1 well was drilled to 6,475 meters. It was drilled in 2,903 meters of water by the Stena Carron drillship. It will be plugged and abandoned, according to Westmount.

The first well that was drilled in the Canje Block, Bulletwood-1 was safely drilled in 2,846 meters or 9, 337 feet of water by the Stena Carron to its planned target depth of 6,690 meters or 21, 949 feet. The Company’s seismic interpretation of the geology was confirmed and has shown evidence of non-commercial hydrocarbons. It was stated that JHI’s technical team will conduct a detailed analysis integrating the data from the Bulletwood-1 results into its ongoing evaluation of the Canje Block.