Jabiru 7 Makes Hat-trick

Sydney Morning Herald

Tuesday March 1, 1988

By ROFF SMITH, Resources Writer

Jabiru 7 became the third Timor Sea well in the past couple of months to discover oil when the well flowed 1,400 barrels of oil a day through a half-inch choke.

A production test over the interval 1,657-1,676 metres also flowed 194,000 cubic feet of gas. An incorrect stockmarket report originally stated the well had come in at a more bullish 2,400 barrels a day.

Jabiru 7 was drilled to test a separate fault block to the north of the Jabiru field in the hope of enhancing the reserve potential of the field.

Analysts were disappointed that there was no information given about the duration of the test or the pressure at which the oil flowed, or the water-oil ratio.

"It would be interesting to compare the pressure between this well and the other Jabiru wells to see if this is indeed an extension of Jabiru or a new field," said Mr Mark Elliston, an oil analyst at Paul Morgan and Co.

BHP spokesman Mr Don Norton said that the company believed it was on to an extension of the Jabiru field rather than a new, separate find.

The first attempt to probe the new fault block soured, because the drillship originally was positioned over part of the field already tested by Jabiru 4. The well was plugged back from 1,800 metres and deviated northward.

Peko Oil's exploration director, Mr Frank Brophy, said the group was confident that this well had indeed crossed the fault line and was into the new block.

Jabiru 7's 1,400-barrel-a-day flow through a half-inch choke compares with Jabiru 5A's 10,000 barrels-a-day through a two-inch choke and Jabiru 4's 90 barrels a day through a 3/16 inch choke.

Wells 2 and 3 were dry. Jabiru 6 was not tested.

© 1988 Sydney Morning Herald

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