INDEPENDENT oil and gas exploration company Invictus Energy has successfully deepened its Mukuyu-1 test well in Muzarabani to 3 923 metres, according to a statement released on Thursday.
It said it had encountered “additional elevated gas shows and fluorescence”.
The asset portfolio lies in the highly prospective 360 000 hectares Cabora Bassa basin in Zimbabwe’s Zambezi Valley.
However, the firm said drilling at Mukuyu-1 would be side-tracked to complete evaluation.
Managing director Scott Macmillan said: “The existing Mukuyu-1 wellbore was successfully deepened to 3 923m and continued to encounter multiple reservoir units with elevated gas shows and fluorescence until total depth, proving up the potential of the Upper Angwa formation over a 900m gross interval. Our primary Upper Angwa target formation is thicker than anticipated from pre-drill estimates, which bodes well for future prospectivity in the basin.
“After reaching TD, the borehole was prepared to run wireline logs, however, due to a deterioration in borehole conditions, the tools were unable to pass below a depth of approximately 3 030m . . . where the primary fluid sampling targets are located.”
He noted that current borehole conditions made logging the existing hole section extremely risky with an increased likelihood of losing tools and not meeting the objectives of the well.
“As a result, the decision has been made to sidetrack the Mukuyu-1 well in order to complete our evaluation and obtain a fluid sample. Results to date have been extremely encouraging and we plan to suspend the sidetrack well for future testing. We anticipate the remaining activities will require a further 12 to 18 days and we look forward to providing further updates in coming weeks,” the Invictus MD said.
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Side-tracking is a regularly used oilfield practice where a secondary wellbore is drilled away from the original wellbore to bypass an unusable section of the well or explore a geological feature nearby.
In the bypass, the secondary wellbore is usually drilled substantially parallel to the original well.
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