KeyFacts Energy continually monitor planned operational activity and will feature regular updates that provide an instant guide to work programs, drilling campaigns and seismic acquisition.

Pharos Energy   l   Vietnam

In August 2020, the Joint Operating Company's (JOC) request for an extension for the TGT field licence of two years, was formally granted by the Ministry of Industry and Trade in Vietnam. The licence now runs to 7 December 2026, as the first stage of the full five-year licence extension, and the Company remains confident in securing a licence extension of a further three years to 2029.

This accelerated two-year extension enables the JOC to make investments under the proposed TGT Full Field Development Plan (FFDP), and provides financial flexibility to potentially increase the tenor of the RBL, which currently has a term until 2023, by a further two years. The FFDP, due to commence drilling in Q4 2021, includes drilling six producer wells, has been approved by all Partners and is awaiting final approval from the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Invictus Energy   l   Zimbabwe

In August 2020, Invictus Energy received approval of its application to renew their investment licence from the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Authority, covering the 80% owned and operated Cabora Bassa Project.

A comprehensive work programme has been proposed for the second three year exploration period, including a commitment to drill a minimum of one exploration well.

Orca Energy   l   Tanzania

Orca Energy is preparing for the workover of onshore well SS-10 in early 2021. A decision on whether to conduct remedial work on two of the older onshore wells, SS-3 and SS-4 will be taken on completion of a major subsurface review of the Songo Songo gas field that will be finalized during Q4 2020. This review, which includes a re-build of the static and dynamic reservoir models, will enable the Company to assess whether the workover of SS-3 and SS-4, or the drilling of new infill wells will be preferable over the remainder of the license period. The review will also incorporate the latest trends in pressure measurements to allow a full re-assessment on the contingent and prospective resource potential and associated economics of drilling and developing the natural gas in the areas known as Songo Songo North and Songo Songo West.

Oryx Energy   l   Offshore Senegal / Guinea-Bissau

3D seismic data interpretation and prospect ranking is complete and environmental impact assessment is nearing completion. Exploration drilling is planned in 2021.

Shell   l   UK

In August 2020, Egdon Resources completed the Farm-In Agreement with Shell in respect of offshore licences P1929 and P2304 which contain the Resolution and Endeavour gas discoveries.

The focus will now be on progressing appraisal activity on the Resolution and Endeavour gas discoveries. The first part of this activity will be the acquisition of a marine 3D seismic survey during Q1 2021.

Independent Oil & Gas   l   UK

In September 2020, IOG were offered four new UK Southern North Sea blocks by the Oil and Gas Authority in the 32nd UKCS Licensing Round.  

Panther Block 49/21e: The work programme entails reprocessing of 79km² 3D seismic up to Pre-Stack Depth Migration ("PSDM") and reservoir modelling on Viper.

Grafton Block 49/22b: The work programme entails reprocessing 100km² of 3D seismic up to PSDM. This will help refine the recoverable resource estimate, inform potential field development plans and evaluate possible further resources across the block, including the small additional Isca discovery. 

Allerdale 48/24c and Redwell Northwest 48/23d: The work commitment on these two blocks, which lie in 20-30 metre water depth, is to undertake 61km² of 3D seismic reprocessing up to PSDM. This will refine the Company's view of the sub-surface potential and ties in with the additional 3D seismic reprocessing work currently underway on the Harvey and Redwell licences.

Pantheon Resources   l   Alaska

In September 2020, Pantheon's Alaskan subsidiary, Great Bear Pantheon, received notice from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that its application to form the Talitha Production Unit of 44,373 acres is complete and eligible for approval. The Talitha Production Unit includes a commitment to drill one well within 2 years or two wells within 4 years.

MOL Norge   l   Norway

In PL 617, operator, MOL Norge AS (40 percent), is together with partners OMV (Norge) AS (30 percent) and Wintershall DEA (30 percent before sale) planning to drill the Eidsvoll exploration well in 2021.

Tullow Oil   l   Suriname

In Suriname, the Goliathberg-Voltzberg North well in Block 47 is now planned to be drilled in the first quarter of 2021, testing dual targets in the Cretaceous turbidite play in approximately 1,900 metres of water. The well will be drilled by the Stena Forth drillship.

Pantheon Resources   l   Alaskan North Slope

Subject to the completion of a farmout, Pantheon intends to drill a well at Talitha in early 2021, which will test the Kuparuk as well as two other (shallower) target horizons; the 'Shelf Margin Deltaic' ('SMD') horizon and the 'Slope Fan System'.

Bahamas Petroleum   l   Suriname

Drill plan, work program and environmental studies for the Extended Well Test (EWT) submitted for approval to Suriname regulatory authorities; target spud date for the first well in Q1 2021.

Bahamas Petroleum   l   Trinidad & Tobago

BCP plan a substantial increase in field activities, including an additional rig being deployed into the field to further expand workover capability/capacity. A work program defined to appraise Saffron discovery, including development of the drill plan for Saffron #2, targets a spud date in Q1 2021.

Mubadal   l   Egypt

In January 2021, Mubadala signed a Concession Agreement for Red Sea Block 4 in Egypt. The work commitment for the block is to conduct subsurface studies and to acquire 3D seismic during the initial three year term.

Forza Petroleum   l   Iraq

Forza Petroleum's budgeted capital expenditures for 2021 are $51 million and dedicated exclusively to the Hawler license area. The planned work program involves drilling five new wells into proven, producing reservoirs and reservoirs still being appraised in the Demir Dagh, Zey Gawra and Banan fields, completing a previously drilled well in the Ain al Safra field for further evaluation, and installing a gathering system to eliminate trucking in the western part of the Hawler license area to reduce environmental impact and operating expense.

DNO   l   Iraq

During 2021, DNO will ramp up drilling of new development wells at the Tawke license to as many eight from only one in 2020 and conduct multiple workovers on existing producing wells to maintain production above 100,000 bopd.

Petrolia NOCO   l   Norway

Exploration drilling is planned in the Tampen area in 2021, including the Dugong Tail exploration well and Dugong Appraisal well.

Cairn   l   UK and Mexico

In 2021, Cairn is planning a drilling programme in both Mexico and the UK:

• In Mexico, operator Eni will drill an exploration well on Block 10 and there is an optional drilling opportunity for an appraisal well of the Saasken discovery (Cairn 15% WI)
• In the UK, Cairn will participate in the Shell-operated Jaws exploration well on P2380 (Cairn 50%WI)
• In Côte d’Ivoire, Cairn has assumed Operatorship (90% WI) in blocks CI-301 and CI-302 from Tullow which has exited both licences. Cairn remains in the Tullow-operated CI-520 (30% WI). The JV has exited blocks CI-518, CI-519, CI-521 and CI-522 effective end December 2020 with all minimum work commitments fulfilled. The 2021 work programme for blocks CI-301 and CI-302 is focussed on completing the planned 2D seismic acquisition, once it is safe to do so.

SDX Energy   l   Egypt and Morocco

• Egypt, South Disouq: One development well, Ibn Yunus-2X, and one exploration well, Hanut-1X, will be drilled consecutively, commencing in Q2 2021. The IY-2X well will access the western compartment of the Ibn Yunus field and is expected to be completed and tied back rapidly once drilled. The Hanut-1X well is targeting unrisked mean recoverable volumes of 139bcf with a 33% chance of success. The Company's partner has confirmed that it will participate in both wells. An inlet compressor will be installed at the CPF site to maximise recovery from the fields, and several well workovers are also planned. Once the exploration concession extension that includes the Hanut and Mohsen prospects has been ratified by Parliament, the Company will pay its share of signature and training bonuses.    
• Egypt, West Gharib: At least three infill development wells will be drilled with a fourth contingent upon field performance and the macroeconomic environment. One water injection well will be drilled, and additional facilities to support this project will be installed. Given the recent low oil price environment, only one development well was drilled in 2020.
• Morocco: Four or five wells will be drilled in two campaigns in Q2 and Q4 2021. As the drilling rig is stacked in the Company's yard in Morocco, there will be no significant mobilisation cost and in addition splitting the campaign into two allocates the capital investment over approximately eight months which allows the cost of these wells to be comfortably covered by cash generated in that period. Four wells will target shallow biogenic gas that can be tied into the Company's infrastructure quickly and at low cost. Furthermore, one of these wells will be deepened to test the Top Nappe prospectivity in the Company's core production area. If the first Top Nappe test is successful, then a second well may also be deepened.  On the assumption that the rig continues to be available after the drilling of the four firm wells, a fifth contingent well would target an additional prospect in the BMK area, which was derisked by the BMK-1 well in 2020. A workover programme of up to nine wells will also be conducted, including re-perforation and sliding sleeve operations to exploit behind-pipe reserves and maximise production and recovery from the existing well stock.

KeyFacts Energy: Planned Operational Activity