Apache Corporation has gathered further reservoir and technical data from its Kwaskwasi-1 discovery well located in Block 58 offshore Suriname and started drilling at another location within the block.

Apache announced a major oil discovery at the Kwaskwasi-1 well drilled in Block 58 in late July 2020.

The Kwaskwasi-1 was drilled to a depth of approximately 6,645 meters (21,800 feet) and successfully tested for the presence of hydrocarbons in multiple stacked targets in the upper Cretaceous-aged Campanian and Santonian intervals.

The well encountered 278 meters (912 feet) of net oil and volatile oil/gas-condensate pay.

The shallower Campanian interval contains 63 meters (207 feet) of net oil pay and 86 meters (282 feet) of net volatile oil/gas-condensate pay.

The Santonian interval contains 129 meters (423 feet) of net pay. Fluid samples from the Campanian validated the presence of oil with API gravities between 34 and 43 degrees.

In an update on Monday, Apache said that, since the discovery, the Noble Sam Croft drillship has gathered reservoir and other technical data in the Santonian.

The company was able to successfully retrieve rotary sidewall cores but was unable to collect representative fluid samples from the reservoir due to conditions caused by cementing operations, which were required to mitigate increased pressure below the base of the Santonian formation.

Hydrocarbon shows were observed in the Santonian reservoirs, and the results of the formation evaluation indicate the presence of oil.

New well in Suriname

The Noble Sam Croft has started operations at the Keskesi East-1 exploration well.

The Keskesi well is located approximately 14 kilometres (9 miles) southeast of Sapakara West-1.

According to Apache, the new well will test upper Cretaceous targets in the Campanian and Santonian.

Apache holds a 50 per cent working interest in Block 58 and will continue to be the operator through the completion of the Keskesi well. Total holds the other 50 per cent working interest.