Case study: NW Moran 1?extension of Moran Field, Papuan Fold Belt, Papua New Guinea.

Abstract

The main hydrocarbon risk when exploring in the Papuan Fold belt PPL219 licence is the definition of the trap. Accurately determining whether reservoir is involved in the hanging wall over thrust and optimally placing exploratory and appraisal wells in the subsurface has been the main challenge. The PPL219 NW Moran 1 well was drilled in late 2003 to test the north western extent of the 130 million barrel Moran Field. The critical risk in this prospect was reservoir involvement and the definition of the main frontal thrust. This paper highlights the approach in which the PPL219 joint venture reduced structural risk, primarily, by way of acquiring and using 2D seismic data. A fully integrated interpretative workflow was adopted using surface geology, strontium age dating and offset well data and 2D seismic. The NW Moran 1 exploratory well successfully encountered oil columns within both Toro and Digimu sands in the hanging wall of the Moran over thrust. A VSP acquired in the NW Moran 1 ST3 well bore confirmed the location of the frontal thrust to the south and the possibility of forelimb potential in this part of the field.