Invictus commences Mukuyu-2 side track drilling

OIL and gas exploration firm, Invictus Energy, says it has successfully commenced the drilling of its second exploratory well, Mukuyu-2 side-track, with a 100% new formation having been drilled.

Drilling of the Mukuyu-2 well follows that of Mukuyu-1 and the company is expected to spend US$20 million on this project.

The site was abandoned towards the end of last year after the company experienced technical glitches, despite results having confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons, but without the fluid sample.

In a statement yesterday, Invictus said following the successful kick-off of the 8,5 inch side-track well, the mud system had subsequently been displaced to the planned lighter weight drilling mud.

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It added that the bottom hole assembly had been changed to include a new drill bit and measuring while drilling (MWD) tools.

“Since the last update, the Mukuyu-2 well was plugged back with cement above the 9” casing shoe (at approximately 1,966m measured depth (mMD) and drilling to kick-off the Mukuyu-2 ST1 (side-track) well was initiated and successfully achieved with 100% new formation drilled. The Exalo rig 202 is currently drilling ahead towards the side-track section total depth at approximately 3,400mMD through the Upper and Lower Angwa reservoirs where multiple hydrocarbon bearing zones were intersected in Mukuyu-2,” Invictus said

The company added that, following the conclusion of the drilling of the 8,5 inch hole section, the side-track well will be logged including wireline formation testing and final results will be provided.

The completion of the side-track is expected to allow for the well to be suspended for future flow testing.

Invictus said this would be done through running the 7-inch liner over the interval and retaining the ability to drill.

This will see further evaluation and testing of the remaining portion of the Lower Angwa in 6 inch holes in future operations where over pressured gas bearing reservoirs were encountered in the original Mukuyu-2 wellbore.

In the previous update, Invictus managing director Scott Macmillan stated that the side-track will serve to achieve the remaining Upper and Lower Angwa objectives.

“Due to compounding sampling challenges, borehole conditions and well control measures, the company, in conjunction with our service providers, have determined a simple vertical side-track will provide the strongest opportunity to achieve our remaining Upper and Lower Angwa evaluation objectives,”

“The company is currently funded to conduct and evaluate the planned side-track operations, with the completion allowing the well to be suspended for future flow testing,” he said.-newsday