Origin drills for more shallow oil in Kauri field

Sources: Origin Energy and Lindsay Clark

Origin says in its June quarter report that the Kauri F4, F5 and F6 wells were all drilled from the same Kauri F drillsite but with deviated well paths to different reservoir target locations. Downhole Manutahi oil flows often contain sand so all wells have gravel pack completions for sand control.

The Manutahi wells lie near the Taranaki coast southeast of Hawera.
Swift Energy, which previously held the Kauri mining permit, drilled the first Manutahi oil wells in 2004.

Origin also said its comprehensive seismic reprocessing of the TAWN fields is nearing its end. The new data will be used to improve field definition and to better assess near-field opportunities. Origin project manages the central Taranaki TAWN fields for subsidiary Contact Energy.

Also, within the TAWN fields, construction of gas processing facilities has begun at the Ahuroa Gas Storage project. This will enable withdrawal of gas as well as injection. Extra gas processing capability will also be added to the existing injection facility.

The June quarter report also says that Origin has met with various delays concerning its two offshore Northland wells which were due to be drilled by the Kan Tan IV semi-submersible rig in August. The Kan Tan IV has just finished working on the Tuatara-1 well off D’Urville Island in the south of the Taranaki Basin, and is being taken back to the Tui oil field in August to carry out a workover of the Pateke-3H well.

Last year Origin said that Korimako prospect, southwest of the Manukau Harbour entrance, has a potential to contain 500 bcf of gas in Miocene and Eocene reservoirs. Tarapunga is a Pliocene-aged turbidite play north of Todd Energy’s Karewa gas discovery and has the potential to hold over 300 bcf of gas.

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