UK Horse Hill-1 well encounters oil

Stellar Resources has announced that the Horse Hill-1 well in the UK Weald Basin has intersected the Portland Sandstone and has encountered oil shows.

The oil shows were identified by mud logging from 2100 ft to 2140 ft measured depth (MD). At 14:00 on 5 October, the well was drilling ahead at 3030 ft MD towards the other primary and secondary targets.

Sandstone drill cuttings recovered from the well have been analysed and are confirmed by the operator to have "a dull yellow fluorescence with a slow diffuse light blue cut with a trace of residual oil ring". This indicates the presence of oil within a porous and permeable rock matrix. Gas readings within the mud over the same interval were also elevated and recorded gases compositions consistent with the presence of oil.

The Horse Hill-1 well is located on the northern side of UK Weald Basin near Gatwick Airport and is planned to test a number of conventional oil and gas targets.

Electric logs will be acquired on reaching the third casing point at approximately 5900 ft MD before setting a 9 ⁵/₈-inch casing. The well will then be drilled with an 8 ½-inch hole will be drilled to 8658 ft total depth (TD) in order to test for Triassic aged formations which are expected to contain gas.

David Lenigas, Chairman, commented: "Progress on this conventional well has so far been encouraging and we are pleased to report that oil shows have been encountered in the Portland Sandstones. The well will need to be electronically logged at the next casing point to understand the significance of these oil shows in the Portland and we look forward to reporting further drilling updates as the well progresses."

Adapted from press release by Katie Woodward

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/drilling-and-production/06102014/stellar-resources-provides-horse-hill-well-update-1570/