Saudi oil optics

The release of the March Official Selling Prices begins to illustrate Saudi Arabia's complex and calculated moves in the global oil markets. After years of trying to figure out the market dynamics of the brave new world with US shale and testing market responses to various signals, it knows that cutting its own production is not the only thing that matters (not to mentioned damaging to its own market share). In fact, targeting data points that...

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Further positive momentum at Zama

The Zama-2ST1 well (side-track well son Zama-2) encountered 873ft of gross oil bearing column with a net-to-gross ratio of c.70%. The well flowed at 7.9mboepd of which 94% was light 26-30 API oil. The well results indicated a prolific reservoir and potential to achieve significant plateau rates at the field. The operator estimates that a peak production of 150-175mboe/d is achievable. This news is positive for the recoverable reserves of the field...

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Energean success at Karish North

Energean has made a significant gas find at its high profile Karish North well. The well reached a depth of 4,880m and encountered a fantastic hydrocarbon column of c.250m Management guidance of the estimated Gas-in-Place is 1-1.5tcf of which ~875bcf could be recoverable resource (i.e. close to 60% recovery factor). Further evaluation will now be undertaken to determine the liquids content on the discovery.  The A, B and C sands have been...

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Mediocre week for UK exploration

This week saw a disappointing well result in Rowallan and a mediocre result in Verbier. Rowallan The keenly watched wildcat drilled at the Rowallan prospect "was not found to be hydrocarbon-bearing”. The 22/19c-7 well was targeting 143mmbbl in a structural fault and dip-closed trap analogous to Total’s Culzean field 20km away. The well encountered a 182m section of sandstone and shale after being drilled to a depth of 4,641m . The Dundonald...

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First step in reversion of LNG pricing structures

LNG has historically been priced to an oil price marker. This is because until recently, LNG has been a point-to-point business - LNG was produced in one country and shipped under a 20-30 year contract to a single destination and the LNG tanker would shuffle back-and-forth between the two end points. This underpinned the project financing for construction of liquefaction projects. LNG prices were then linked to oil as both the LNG producing nations...

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Maria, you've gotta see her!

Wintershall has shut-in the Maria field since February, approximately a year after first production, following poor production performance. It is understood that reserves have been downgraded from 207mmbbl to c.60 mmbbl. The field is now undergoing testing and monitoring to see how best to produce the remaining reserves the recover the lost reserves whilst managing the reservoir. It is understood that the NPD has to review plans and sign off...

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Waha gas pricing goes negative

Chart of the week: Waha hub gas pricing goes negat...

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