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Petrotal (LSE:PTAL), a company focused on development and production, announced on Tuesday that drilling has commenced at Well 20H on the Bretaña field. This marks a significant step as the drilling aims to evaluate and test the upper Vivian formation sand. Notably, this will be the first time this sand is completed alongside the main Vivian 2 sand.
Historically, Petrotal has focused on production from the VS2 sand, which has demonstrated substantially higher permeability compared to the VS1 sand. The new design for Well 20H includes a brief test of the VS1 sand. This test is intended to collect crude samples and assess the production capabilities of this formation. During an initial production test, the VS1 sand flowed at an equivalent rate of approximately 320 barrels of oil per day, with an API gravity of 18.6. This gravity is comparable to that of the VS2 oil.
Petrotal has decided to complete Well 20H in both the VS1 and VS2 sands. The company plans to gather sufficient production data from these sands to evaluate whether to amend its field development plan to include the VS1 sand. If the VS1 sand produces low volumes of formation water, it might not require additional water treatment facilities. This outcome would be beneficial, as it could streamline operations and reduce costs.
The drilling at Well 20H is currently progressing in the main VS2 target, and it is anticipated that the well will be completed by the end of September. This development is a key part of Petrotal’s strategy to enhance its production capabilities and resource base at the Bretaña field.
As of 1005 BST, shares in Petrotal had risen by 1.28% to 39.50p, reflecting a positive market response to the news of the new drilling operation and the potential benefits it may bring.
