W&T Offshore’s ST 224#1 exploration well has failed to find hydrocarbons in the Gulf of Mexico offshore the United States.
W&T’s partner in the project, Otto Energy, said the well had been drilled to a total measured depth of 3,322 meters.
Otto said the targeted BN sand interval was intersected close to prognosis at 3,149 meters measured depth, however based on log observations the sand is considered to be water bearing, Otto said.
The well will now be plugged and abandoned.
The Enterprise 264 jack-up drilling rig had been used to drill the prospect, which sits in approximately 170 feet of water.
Otto’s Managing Director, Matthew Allen, said: “The outcome of the ST224 #1 exploration well is a disappointing start to the drilling program that Otto is currently involved in. Otto would like to thank the operator, W&T Offshore, and our partner, Houston Energy, for a well planned and executed drilling program. We look forward to continuing our relationship with future opportunities.”
Otto is, however, moving on and looking ahead to the result of the SM 71 F2 well, which was spudded earlier in December using the Ensco 68 jack-up rig.
The SM 71 F2 well has two targets: the D5 Sand and the B65 Sand. The primary target in the F2 well is the D5 Sand which will serve as an additional D5 take point and extend the D5 proven reserves down-dip from the F1 well.
Otto has said that the second target, the highly prospective B65 Sand, has the potential to double the current field size of SM 71 and will be tested first before drilling ahead to the D5 sand. The well is expected to take approximately one month to drill and evaluate.
