AsianOil: Valeura wraps up five-well programme at Thailand's Jasmine field

Canada’s Valeura Energy has successfully completed a five-well infill drilling programme at its offshore Jasmine field in the Gulf of Thailand, boosting oil production by 26% to nearly 10,000 barrels per day (bpd) before royalties, the company announced on November 27.

The drilling campaign, conducted in licence B5/27 where Valeura holds a 100% interest, included two wells on the Jasmine A platform completed in September and three wells on the Jasmine D platform, which have since been brought online as producers.

Production from the Jasmine field averaged 9,801 bpd over the week ending November 25, up from 7,764 bpd in early September. The company credits the output increase to the successful execution of its drilling strategy, which included appraising new reservoirs and enhancing recovery from existing intervals.

“Maintaining oil production at this asset is key to generating ongoing cashflow from our portfolio,” Valeura CEO Sean Guest said in a statement. “The fact that we continue to see appraisal successes at this relatively mature field bodes well for our objective to further extend the economic life of the asset.”

The Jasmine D drilling programme focused on three wells. JSD-42 targeted the 250 sand reservoir, positioned at the crest of the structure. In addition to producing oil from the primary zone, the well appraised secondary targets, completing five additional zones as future reservoirs and identifying further oil-bearing intervals for potential development.

The JSD-41H and JSD-43H horizontal infill wells in the 680-1 sand reservoir aimed at enhancing recovery. Both wells achieved geosteered horizontal intervals of over 610 metres with 100% net sand encountered, optimising oil sweep efficiency.

Following the Jasmine campaign, the drilling rig has moved to Valeura’s Manora field in licence G1/48, where it has commenced a five-well programme comprising three production-oriented wells and two appraisals.

Valeura expects the results from Jasmine to contribute to its year-end reserves assessment, supporting the company’s target of achieving a reserves replacement ratio exceeding 100%.

“The recent production rates and appraisal successes reinforce our confidence in the long-term potential of Jasmine,” Guest added.

It has been a busy year for Valeura off Thailand. The Toronto-listed company reported three oil discoveries in April – one at the G11/49 site north of its Wassana oilfield, and two at the nearby G10/48 area. It also brought into production a new project, Nong Yao C, in August, with output peaking at around 11,000 bpd weeks later. This led to overall production at the Nong Yao field rising by two-thirds.

Valeura is also mobilising a rig to drill more wells at the Manora field before the end of the year. 

In addition to Thailand, the company also has upstream interests in Turkey.

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