AUSTRALIAN energy firm Invictus Energy Limited says it is preparing to drill a further 1 000 metres to its planned total of 3 750m at its Mukuyu-2 drilling site after identifying further oil and gas deposits.
In its previous update, the firm reported that early signs from its Mukuyu-2 drilling campaign showed higher background gas and better reservoir quality.
The company announced in September that it had secured A$15 million (US$9,47 million) from capital raising initiatives to begin drilling at its Mukuyu-2 drilling site.
The Mukuyu-2 drilling site was identified after previous machine breakdowns last December forced Invictus to abandon drilling at its first identified drilling site, Mukuyu-1. The drilling site is in Zimbabwe north east Muzarabani district in Mashonaland Central province.
“We have encouraging signs in our Upper Angwa primary target, which has shown elevated gas readings including heavier hydrocarbons and elevated LWD (logging while drilling) resistivity across the zones of interest,” Invictus managing director Scott Macmillan said in a statement last week Friday.
“The presence of elevated mud gas readings combined with elevated LWD resistivity and increasing background gas with depth is a positive sign as we progress through the Upper Angwa alternations member.
“Following a drill bit change, we are preparing to drill a further 1 000 metres to our planned total depth of 3 750 metres through the remaining Upper Angwa and into additional potential in the untested Lower Angwa.”
Once total depth is reached, a comprehensive wireline logging programme to evaluate results will follow, with the aim to confirm the presence of moveable hydrocarbons in multiple zones.
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“The well remains on track to be completed in the forecast 50 to 60 days,” Macmillan added.
Since the last update, Invictus reported that the 95/8” casing was set and the choke manifold for the blow out preventer was changed out prior to commencement of drilling the 8½” hole section, which has reached the current depth of 2 745 metres measured depth (mMD).
The firm found elevated mud gas peaks, while drilling to 2 582 mMD with marked increases from methane, ethane, propane, butanes and pentanes.
“Elevated LWD resistivity and low Gamma Ray readings across this interval coincided with a drilling break and subsequent losses of drilling mud to the formation,” the firm said.
“Drilling progress was slowed due to repairs to the top drive system, which have now been completed and remedying of mud losses to the formation.”
Total background gas was higher than that observed in Mukuyu-1 and heavier hydrocarbons have been detected, providing further evidence of an active petroleum system in the basin.
“Following the change out of the drill bit and batteries for the LWD tools, the Exalo 202 Rig will recommence drilling through the primary targets in the Upper Angwa and to the Lower Angwa to approximately 3 750 mMD before running a wireline logging evaluation suite,” Invictus added.
